Cannabis use, cognition and brain structure in first-episode psychosis

Abstract Cannabis use is highly prevalent worldwide and it is associated with psychosis, but its effects on brain structure and cognition are still controversial. The aim of this paper is to investigate cognitive functioning and brain structure in patients with their first episode of psychosis who u...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Schizophrenia research 2013-07, Vol.147 (2), p.209-215
Main Authors: Cunha, Paulo Jannuzzi, Rosa, Pedro Gomes P, Ayres, Adriana de Mello, Duran, Fábio L.S, Santos, Luciana C, Scazufca, Marcia, Menezes, Paulo R, dos Santos, Bernardo, Murray, Robin M, Crippa, José Alexandre S, Busatto, Geraldo F, Schaufelberger, Maristela S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Analysis of Variance
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - pathology
Brazil
Cannabis
Catchment Area (Health)
Cognition
Cognition Disorders - epidemiology
Female
First-episode psychosis (FEP)
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Marijuana Abuse - epidemiology
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Psychotic Disorders - epidemiology
Psychotic Disorders - pathology
Psychotic Disorders - psychology
Schizophrenia
Substance use
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Cannabis use is highly prevalent worldwide and it is associated with psychosis, but its effects on brain structure and cognition are still controversial. The aim of this paper is to investigate cognitive functioning and brain structure in patients with their first episode of psychosis who used Cannabis . We examined gray matter and lateral ventricle volumes in 28 patients with first-episode psychosis and a history of Cannabis use, 78 patients without a history of Cannabis use and 80 healthy controls who had not used Cannabis . Cognition was assessed using forward and backwards digit span tests, from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Patients with a history of Cannabis use had less brain abnormalities, characterized by gray matter and lateral ventricle volume preservation, as well as less attentional and executive impairments compared to patients without a history of Cannabis use. Cannabis -using patients who develop psychosis have less neurodevelopmental impairment and better cognitive reserve than other psychotic patients; perhaps reflecting different etiological processes.
ISSN:0920-9964
1573-2509
DOI:10.1016/j.schres.2013.04.009