Testing associations between cannabis use and subcortical volumes in two large population‐based samples
Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Disentangling the putative impact of cannabis on brain morphology from other comorbid substance use is critical. After controlling for the effects of nicotine, alcohol and multi-substance use, this study aimed to determine whether frequent cannabis use is associated with significantly smaller subcortical grey matter volumes. DESIGN: Exploratory analyses using mixed linear models, one per region of interest (ROI), were performed whereby individual differences in volume (outcome) at seven subcortical ROIs were regressed onto cannabis and comorbid substance use (predictors). SETTING: Two large population-based twin samples from the United States and Australia. PARTICIPANTS: ) of predominately Anglo-Saxon ancestry with complete substance use and imaging data. Subjects with a history of stroke or traumatic brain injury were excluded. MEASUREMENTS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and volumetric segmentation methods were used to estimate volume in seven subcortical ROIs: thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, pallidum, hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens. Substance use measurements included maximum nicotine and alcohol use, total life-time multi-substance use, maximum cannabis use in the young adults and regular cannabis use in the middle-aged males. FINDINGS: After correcting for multiple testing (P = 0.007), cannabis use was unrelated to any subcortical ROI. However, maximum nicotine use was associated with significantly smaller thalamus volumes in middle-aged males. CONCLUSIONS: In exploratory analyses based on young adult and middle-aged samples, normal variation in cannabis use is unrelated statistically to individual differences in brain morphology as measured by subcortical volume.
Source: Addiction
DOI: 10.1111/add.14252
Authors: Nathan A. Gillespie, Michael C. Neale, Timothy C. Bates, Lisa T. Eyler, Christine Fennema‐Notestine, Jasmin Vassileva, Michael J. Lyons, Elizabeth C. Prom‐Wormley, Katie L. McMahon, Paul M. Thompson, Greig de Zubicaray, Ian B. Hickie, John J. McGrath, Lachlan T. Strike, Miguel E. Rentería, Matthew S. Panizzon, Nicholas G. Martin, Carol E. Franz, William S. Kremen, Margaret J. Wright
Institutions: Virginia Commonwealth University, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, University of California San Diego, VA San Diego Healthcare System, Boston University, The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, The University of Sydney, Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G1077478456, G1181325306, G1322650969, Brain imaging study of twins, G1758707147, G1870985794, G2455682238, Genetic influences on the brain: A twin imaging study, G2570321972, G2764925108, Genetic & environmental pathways to drug use, abuse & dependence, Genetic & environmental pathways to drug use, abuse & dependence, G3059684269, G3121891270, G3283328239, The VETSA Longitudinal Twin Study of Cortisol and Aging, G4231820743, G471988321, G5159169053, G551696275, Modifiable risk factors for Serious Mental Illness - an integrated program of epidemiology, genetics and clinical trials, Genetics of brain structure and function, G5938296382, G6064592969, ENIGMA Center for Worldwide Medicine, Imaging & Genomics, G6698906416, Psychometric and Genetic Assessments of Substance Use, G8045000093, G9000048166, G9000059004, G9000346471, G976534054
OpenAlex ID: W2802597466