Tensor-based morphometry of cannabis use on brain structure in individuals at elevated genetic risk of schizophrenia.
Psychol Med
; 43(10): 2087-96, 2013 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23190458
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Schizophrenia is associated with various brain structural abnormalities, including reduced volume of the hippocampi, prefrontal lobes and thalami. Cannabis use increases the risk of schizophrenia but reports of brain structural abnormalities in the cannabis-using population have not been consistent. We used automated image analysis to compare brain structural changes over time in people at elevated risk of schizophrenia for familial reasons who did and did not use cannabis.METHOD:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from subjects at high familial risk of schizophrenia at entry to the Edinburgh High Risk Study (EHRS) and approximately 2 years later. Differential grey matter (GM) loss in those exposed (n=23) and not exposed to cannabis (n=32) in the intervening period was compared using tensor-based morphometry (TBM).RESULTS:
Cannabis exposure was associated with significantly greater loss of right anterior hippocampal (pcorrected=0.029, t=3.88) and left superior frontal lobe GM (pcorrected=0.026, t=4.68). The former finding remained significant even after the exclusion of individuals who had used other drugs during the inter-scan interval.CONCLUSIONS:
Using an automated analysis of longitudinal data, we demonstrate an association between cannabis use and GM loss in currently well people at familial risk of developing schizophrenia. This observation may be important in understanding the link between cannabis exposure and the subsequent development of schizophrenia.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Esquizofrenia
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Cannabis
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Imagen por Resonancia Magnética
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Corteza Cerebral
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
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Female
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Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychol Med
Año:
2013
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido