Brain Volume in Male Patients with Recent Onset Schizophrenia with and Without Cannabis Use Disorders

Overview

Journal J Psychiatry Neurosci

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2014 Dec 17

PMID 25510948

Citations 11

Authors

Laura Koenders

Marise W J Machielsen

F J van der Meer

Angelique C M van Gasselt

Carin J Meijer

Wim van den Brink

Maarten W J Koeter

Matthan W A Caan

Janna Cousijn

Anouk den Braber

Dennis van t Ent

Maaike M Rive

Aart H Schene

Elsmarieke van de Giessen

Chaim Huyser

Bart P de Kwaasteniet

Dick J Veltman

Lieuwe de Haan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is highly comorbid with cannabis use disorders (CUDs), and this comorbidity is associated with an unfavourable course. Early onset or frequent cannabis use may influence brain structure. A key question is whether comorbid CUDs modulate brain morphology alterations associated with schizophrenia.

Methods: We used surface-based analysis to measure the brain volume, cortical thickness and cortical surface area of a priori-defined brain regions (hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate, putamen, orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insula, parahippocampus and fusiform gyrus) in male patients with schizophrenia or related disorders with and without comorbid CUDs and matched healthy controls. Associations between age at onset and frequency of cannabis use with regional grey matter volume were explored.

Results: We included 113 patients with (CUD, n = 80) and without (NCUD, n = 33) CUDs and 84 controls in our study. As expected, patients with schizophrenia (with or without a CUD) had smaller volumes of most brain regions (amygdala, putamen, insula, parahippocampus and fusiform gyrus) than healthy controls, and differences in cortical volume were mainly driven by cortical thinning. Compared with the NCUD group, the CUD group had a larger volume of the putamen, possibly driven by polysubstance use. No associations between age at onset and frequency of use with regional grey matter volumes were found.

Limitations: We were unable to correct for possible confounding effects of smoking or antipsychotic medication.

Conclusion: Patients with psychotic disorders and comorbid CUDs have larger putamen volumes than those without CUDs. Future studies should elaborate whether a large putamen represents a risk factor for the development of CUDs or whether (poly)substance use causes changes in putamen volume.

Citing Articles

Systematic review of structural and functional neuroimaging studies of cannabis use in adolescence and emerging adulthood: evidence from 90 studies and 9441 participants.

Lichenstein S, Manco N, Cope L, Egbo L, Garrison K, Hardee J Neuropsychopharmacology. 2021; 47(5):1000-1028.

PMID: 34839363 PMC: 8938408. DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01226-9.

Cannabis use in patients with early psychosis is associated with alterations in putamen and thalamic shape.

Sami M, Cole J, Kempton M, Annibale L, Das D, Kelbrick M Hum Brain Mapp. 2020; 41(15):4386-4396.

PMID: 32687254 PMC: 7502838. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25131.

Neuroimaging Studies in Patients With Mental Disorder and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorder: Summary of Findings.

Stoychev K Front Psychiatry. 2019; 10:702.

PMID: 31708805 PMC: 6819501. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00702.

Early Somatosensory Processing Over Time in Individuals at Risk to Develop Psychosis.

Hagenmuller F, Heekeren K, Roser P, Haker H, Theodoridou A, Walitza S Front Psychiatry. 2019; 10:47.

PMID: 30890966 PMC: 6413704. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00047.

Impact of substance use disorder on gray matter volume in schizophrenia.

Quinn M, McHugo M, Armstrong K, Woodward N, Blackford J, Heckers S Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2018; 280:9-14.

PMID: 30121336 PMC: 6815746. DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.08.002.

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