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Tensor-based morphometry of cannabis use on brain structure in individuals at elevated genetic risk of schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2012

K. A. Welch ,
T. W. Moorhead ,
A. M. McIntosh ,
D. G. C. Owens ,
E. C. Johnstone  and
S. M. Lawrie
K. A. Welch*
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
T. W. Moorhead
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
A. M. McIntosh
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
D. G. C. Owens
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
E. C. Johnstone
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
S. M. Lawrie
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr K. A. Welch, Robert Ferguson Unit, Astley Ainsle Hospital and Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK. (Email: [email protected])
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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.

Keywords

Cannabisgeneticimagingschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 43 , Issue 10 , October 2013 , pp. 2087 - 2096
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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