Schizophrenia and cannabis use.

Genetic predisposition and environmental risk factors are thought to play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Exposure to cannabis is one environmental factor that's being studied for its possible link to development of schizophrenia in adolescents. This article presents evidence that supports the hypothesis that repeated cannabis use could interfere with the development of frontal white matter in some adolescents and may exacerbate anatomic pathology in those with schizophrenia. This putative mechanism may explain the deficits in working memory and worsening in the severity of clinical symptoms in adolescents with schizophrenia who use cannabis.