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Chapter 21 - Genetic Explanations for the Association between Cannabis and Schizophrenia

from Part VI - Cannabinoids and Schizophrenia: Aetiopathology and Treatment Implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2023

By
Sarah M. C. Colbert  and
Emma C. Johnson
Edited by
Deepak Cyril D'Souza ,
David Castle  and
Sir Robin Murray
Deepak Cyril D'Souza
Affiliation:
Staff Psychiatrist, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine
David Castle
Affiliation:
University of Tasmania, Australia
Sir Robin Murray
Affiliation:
Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychosis Service at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust; Professor of Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry
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Summary

The high comorbidity between cannabis use and schizophrenia may be partially attributable to shared genetic liability. Here, we review evidence from family-based studies, polygenic score approaches, genome-wide genetic correlations, and causal inference methods using genetic instruments. Overall, most studies point to a modest but significant amount of genetic overlap between cannabis use and schizophrenia, which appears to be shared across a range of levels of cannabis involvement. Future studies should seek to identify co-morbid cases in genome-wide association studies and quantify the amount of genetic overlap when co-morbid cases are removed.

Keywords

heritabilitydiscordant twin designgenome-wide association studygenetic correlationpolygenic scoresMendelian randomization
Type
Chapter
Information
Marijuana and Madness , pp. 216 - 224
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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