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Marijuana and Schizophrenia?

The AHA! Team — Fri, 31 May 2024 05:31:56 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – The evidence linking cannabis use to psychotic disorders is considered strong enough to warrant a public health warning. “Even as proponents of [cannabis] legalization contend that smoked marijuana is a harmless natural substance that improves the quality of life, a growing body of evidence links it in a small but significant number of users to…the induction or aggravation of psychosis.” “Psychotic disorders are arguably the most serious of mental illnesses, the best known being schizophrenia.” “Schizophrenia, an illness that is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and odd behavior, is among the top 10 leading causes of disability in the United States. It affects approximately 1% of the general population.” Can cannabis cause it? Schizophrenia… affects approximately 1% of the general population As I discuss in my video Does Marijuana Cause Schizophrenia?, over the last half-century, “nearly 2,000 studies have been published on this topic…and the pro-psychotic effects of cannabis have dominated media reporting about this drug. But how clear is the link?” Population studies have “consistently demonstrated a strong, positive, and dose-dependent association between cannabis use and the risk of psychotic disorders.” Indeed, studies have shown that the more cannabis people use, the more likely they are to be psychotic, as seen in a chart below and at 1:10 in my video. However, that doesn’t mean cannabis is the cause. It could just be a correlation or even a consequence of the disease. “The link between cannabis and psychosis is well established,” but it may be the case that patients with mental health problems self-medicate and “use cannabis to relieve their distress.” The link between cannabis and psychosis is well established… As you can see below and at 1:38 in my video, there isn’t only a link between cannabis and psychosis in snapshot-in-time cross-sectional studies, but in cohort studies as well, where people are followed over time. Research has shown that cannabis use often precedes psychosis, not the other way around. Now, it goes without saying that “the vast majority of people who use cannabis do not develop psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and many people diagnosed with such disorders have never used cannabis.” But, overall, these studies are considered to be “strong enough evidence to warrant a public health message that cannabis use can increase the risk of psychotic disorders.” There is another potential explanation: Even though cannabis use precedes schizophrenia, could it be that whichever genes drive schizophrenia also make it more likely you start smoking pot? The biggest strike against the cannabis-schizophrenia link is country-by-country ecological studies that don’t seem to show more disease in areas where there’s more use. And, overall, schizophrenia rates seem to have remained stable or even gone down worldwide since the 1960s, even though there’s been a big bump in cannabis use since then. If about 10 percent of schizophrenia cases are attributable to marijuana use and there’s been a fourfold increase in use, why hasn’t there been a 40 percent increase in the prevalence of schizophrenia? The problem with that argument is “there is little reliable evidence on the temporal [true] trends in the incidence of schizophrenia, so it is difficult to know whether this statement is true or not.” Perhaps it’s more of an issue with potency rather than just cannabis in general. Indeed, “the incidence of schizophrenia is higher in countries…where high-potency cannabis has taken over the market compared with countries…where more traditional forms of cannabis are smoked.” The bottom line is you don’t know until you put it to the test. You can’t just randomize kids to cannabis, but, in a way, Nature set up a natural experiment for us. There are genes that kids randomly get that can increase their likelihood of smoking pot. Do those kids then go on to have a higher risk of schizophrenia? Yes, research “findings strongly support” all of those population studies that suggest “cannabis plays a causal [cause-and-effect] role in the development of schizophrenia.” Okay, but by how much? Let’s break it down. Even if cannabis use doubles the risk, that would mean only going from a 7-in-1,000 chance of developing a psychosis to 14 in 1,000. So, going from a 1 in 140 chance to a 1 in 70 chance. It would be different if schizophrenia runs in your family, where a doubling of risk could mean going from a one-in-ten chance to one in five, but, on a population scale, it could take thousands of cannabis users quitting to prevent a single case of schizophrenia. So, from a public health standpoint, “addiction is a far more common problem.” Researchers “estimate that people who try cannabis are ninefold more likely to become addicted to it”—even though that itself is relatively rare—“than to develop psychosis in their lifetime.” I have an entire series of videos on cannabis, which I originally released in a webinar and downloadable digital DVD. Key Takeaways Although some proponents of cannabis legalization argue that marijuana is a “harmless natural substance that improves the quality of life,” it has been linked “in a small but significant number of users to…the induction or aggravation of psychosis.” Schizophrenia, a psychotic disorder characterized by hallucinations, odd behavior, and delusions, affects about 1 percent of the general population. Studies have found that the more cannabis people use, the more likely they are to be psychotic, but that could just be a correlation or even a consequence of the disease. Individuals with mental health problems may self-medicate and use cannabis to relieve distress, for example. Research has found that cannabis use often precedes psychosis, not the other way around. Overall, there appears to be “strong enough evidence to warrant a public health message that cannabis use can increase the risk of psychotic disorders.” There does not seem to be more disease in regions with greater cannabis use. Overall, schizophrenia rates appear to have remained stable or even declined worldwide since the 1960s, despite a large jump in cannabis use since then. Potency may be a bigger issue. In countries with higher potency cannabis, the incidence of schizophrenia is higher than in countries with “more traditional forms.” Some genes can increase our likelihood of using cannabis, and kids who randomly get them have been found to have a higher risk of schizophrenia. Research suggests that cannabis may have a cause-and-effect role in the development of that psychosis. Even if cannabis use doubles the risk, however, that would just mean a 1-in-70 chance of developing a psychosis without a family history of schizophrenia. From a public health standard, the far more common problem is addiction. To read the original article click here.

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High-Strength Cannabis Linked to Addiction and Mental Health Problems

AHA Publisher — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:00:57 +0000

University of Bath via Newswise – As the strength or potency of cannabis products has increased internationally over the years, so have rates of people being treated for cannabis addiction, say the authors of a new study. Researchers from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath (UK) systematically analysed the relationship between the types of cannabis people use and their addiction and mental health problems. Their work draws on 20 studies involving almost 120,000 people. After alcohol and nicotine, cannabis is the most widely used drug globally. Latest estimates from the UK suggest that over the last year around one in five 16-24 year olds had used cannabis. Cannabis potency refers to the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis – the key psychoactive drug it contains. Recent studies from the same team at Bath have found that the concentration of THC in cannabis has increased significantly over time meaning that cannabis used today is typically much stronger than previously. The new study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, suggests that people who use high potency cannabis are more likely to experience addiction than those using low potency products. It also suggests that people using high potency cannabis are more likely to experience a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. These findings may help to explain why more people have received treatment for cannabis problems over recent years. Data from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction show a 76% increase in people entering treatment for cannabis addiction in the past decade. Based on these new results, the authors argue that public health guidelines and policies to help make cannabis use safer should be encouraged. Lead author, Kat Petrilli from the University of Bath’s Department of Psychology explained: “Our systematic review found that people who use higher potency cannabis could be at increased risks of addiction as well as psychosis when compared to people who use cannabis products with lower potencies. “These results are important in the context of harm reduction which aims to minimise the negative consequences associated with drug use. While the safest level of use for cannabis is of course ‘no use’, it is important to acknowledge that a significant number of people across the world use cannabis regularly and to ensure they can make informed decisions that could reduce any possible harms associated with it.” The authors point out that strategies to make cannabis use safer could inform how the drug is regulated in the UK and internationally. Recreational cannabis use remains illegal in the UK, but cannabis products are now legally sold for recreational use in Canada, Uruguay, and parts of the USA. Several other countries appear set to follow this trend, including Germany. In the UK, the Liberal Democrats have argued that a legal regulated market could make cannabis use safer by enforcing a limit on the potency of cannabis products, and investing the revenue and savings from this into education and treatment for cannabis problems. Senior author, Dr Tom Freeman explained: “Our findings suggest that people who use cannabis could reduce their risk of harm by using lower potency products. In places where cannabis is legally sold, providing consumers with accurate information on product content and access to lower potency products could help people to use cannabis more safely.” Despite anecdotal evidence of links between cannabis and anxiety and depression, the authors note that the links between cannabis potency and other mental health problems are unclear. This research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. To read the original article click here.

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Elevated Levels of Serotonin Can Curb Cocaine Addiction in Mice

AHA Publisher — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 07:00:36 +0000

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) via News-Medical – Elevated levels of serotonin can prevent the development of compulsive cocaine seeking and addiction in mice, researchers report. The findings help to resolve the biological markers of addiction risk. Like other addictive drugs, cocaine acts by blocking the reuptake of key neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, resulting in its euphoric effects. However, not all who use the drug become addicted – only about 20% of cocaine users lose control and continue to compulsively use the drug despite adverse consequences. What makes some users susceptible to addiction risk isn’t well known. Although previous studies have suggested that the differential efficacy of the brain serotonin system could play a role in developing a cocaine addiction, the relevant brain circuits and processes that underly the transition from casual to compulsive use remain elusive. In this study, Yue Li and colleagues report the discovery of a mechanism that reveals a modulatory role of serotonin in preventing the development of compulsive cocaine seeking and addiction in mice. In a series of experiments using wild-type and transgenic mice, Li et al.show how cocaine binds with serotonin transporters to block reuptake, which results in elevated levels of extracellular serotonin. This buildup activates the serotonin receptor 5-HT1Band causes presynaptic depression that inhibits synaptic transmission between the orbitofrontal cortex and the dorsal striatum, preventing wild-type mice from becoming addicted. However, in transgenic mice whose serotonin transporters did not bind with cocaine and thus prevented the accumulation of extracellular serotonin, compulsive cocaine-seeking behavior was elevated. According to the authors, the findings suggest that serotonin plays an essential role in modulating the risk of developing addiction. “Further studies should clarify the neural mechanism underlying serotonin modulation of the transition to compulsion in drug addition, what agents specific to serotonin receptors can be used and when these agents can be administered to potentially treat drug addiction,” write Katsuhiko Miyazaki and Kayoko Miyazaki in a related Perspective. To read the original article click here.

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‘No Lockdown’: Doctors Warn Shutdowns Unleashing Massive Health Crises and Upheaval

AHA Publisher — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 07:00:53 +0000

Paul Strand via CBN News – A growing number of doctors are trying to show why they believe lockdowns and shutdowns are doing more harm than the coronavirus itself. More than 1,200 have banded together in the group A Doctor A Day, and at SecondOpinionProject.com, they are presenting their case for why the lockdowns have been a medical disaster. “We’re looking at an increase in tens or hundreds of thousands of just suicides alone from the increased unemployment,” explained Dr. Paul Fronapfel, a pediatric anesthesiologist. ‘Every Town, Every City’ Dr. Simone Gold, who helped found A Doctor A Day, said, “Cases of depression or of drug abuse that were in check have gotten worse. We’re seeing that all over the country – every town, every city.” Addiction specialist Dr. Molly Rutherford added, “The morbidity and mortality from joblessness and from mental health crises and relapse and suicides, homicides, shootings – all these things – are just going to continue to get worse.” The doctors in this Second Opinion Project warn the coronavirus has been overhyped. 99.7 Percent Survive “The message has been disseminated that this is some terrible infection that’s a killer; that everybody is at risk of dying,” said cardiologist Dr. Daniel Wohlgelernter. But he pointed out, “We know that 99.7 percent of people that get infected with COVID survive.” Fronapfel added, “Ten times as many people die from other things on any given day.” Dr. Mark McDonald, an adolescent and adult psychiatrist, brought up children, saying, “The risk of death to children from flu, seasonal flu, is 20 to 30 times higher than that of the coronavirus. And yet we have never closed schools. We have never asked children or teachers to wear masks, to play separately, to eat separately, to arrive and leave separately from schools because of the flu. And now we’re doing that for the coronavirus.” ‘This Is Child Abuse’ “In my opinion, this is child abuse,” he said of the fear being infused in kids. “I am absolutely appalled and I think it makes no scientific or rational sense whatsoever.” Gynecologist Dr. Olga Swanson suggested, “We cannot lock up our young generation in the house for the next 12 or 18 months while we’re waiting for a vaccine.” That could be a vain hope, according to plastic surgeon Dr. Joel Singer, who pointed out, “There has never been a successful coronavirus vaccine. The last one they tried was the original SARS epidemic. They tried a vaccine. It killed all the (trial) monkeys.” ‘Nothing That Can Replace a Childhood for a Child’ So instead of waiting around for a vaccine, Swanson insisted, “The kids need to go back to school. They need to go back to school for the main reason that they need social interaction. And there’s nothing that can replace a childhood for a child.” “We’re talking about not only social isolation, depression, boredom, but we’re also talking about a strategic loss in education,” said ophthalmologist Dr. Jane Hughes. “If you take a look at Boston and some of the other places where they had online schooling, 20, 30, 40 percent of students didn’t ever log in.” Swanson added, “There are plenty of children in poverty who rely on schools for meals, who rely on the schools for safety.” Hughes concluded, “So I think we’re going to see the ripple effects, psychologically, socially, emotionally for a long time to come.” ‘Pure & Unadulterated Hysteria’ “What is driving the current response to this coronavirus is pure and unadulterated hysteria,” McDonald said. “This is actually a full-on societal anomaly that has infected virtually everyone in the country to some degree.” He said of this COVID obsession and terror, “We have to understand that it’s nonsense. Otherwise, we’re going to be locked into that in perpetuity.” “It seems that people think it’s more contagious than it is,” addiction specialist Rutherford said, adding it takes more than a casual passing by of an infected individual. “People who catch this virus are in close proximity for several minutes, possibly even an hour or two with the infected person.” Sunlight Kills It in a Second The best place to be is not inside, but in the great outdoors, according to plastic surgeon Dr. Joel Singer, who said, “When you’re outside, the sun is shining, the chances of spreading this disease are practically zero. If this virus gets hit by sunlight, it dies in a second.” So after all the guff people have taken for being outside, Rutherford commented, “This virus is very unlikely to spread outside, so it doesn’t make any sense that parks and beaches are closed at this point.” People Afraid of Dying from COVID-19 Are Dying From Other Things Many of doctors involved in the Second Opinion project tell of people who’ve died because they were too scared of COVID-19 to go to the hospital. Cardiologist Dr. Steven Hearne said of one man suffering heart pain who refused to go, “He declined because he was afraid he’d catch the virus. He basically waited till the last minute. 9-1-1 was called. EMS showed up and he arrested right there, had CPR, and didn’t make it.” Dr. Lionel Lee, a specialist in emergency medicine, spoke of another man and his family. “As he got weaker and weaker, they didn’t know what to do because they were getting constant bombardment from the news, saying ‘stay home, don’t go to the hospital: you’re going to get COVID,'” Lee noted. When his family realized he was dying, they got him to Dr. Lee, who reported, “We coded him for about 30 minutes and he passed away.” “I have had several colleagues who have told me that they have had patients die on them,” Lee added. ‘They’re Afraid They’re Going to Catch It on the Street’ Rutherford said of her own recent experiences, “I’ve had several patients who were worried about going to the Emergency Department when they clearly needed to go.” And cardiologist Hearne added, “I still have several patients who are afraid to come to my office. They’re afraid they’re going to catch it on the street walking down the road. And that’s just not the case.” For anesthesiologist Dr. Andrew Zak, this is personal. He said on SecondOpinionProject.com, “The example that really hits home the most is my own mother. She became ill, and she’s also very debilitated and has dementia. Her caregiver was very concerned. However, my relatives, they were very afraid to bring her into the hospital. And now it turns out, two weeks later, she indeed did have a stroke, which went undiagnosed and untreated. And at this point, she is now in much worse condition, and it’s just been devastating.” ‘Patients Are Getting Tossed Aside Right Now by Bureaucrats’ But there have also been people kept from getting absolutely necessary medical care because that care was labeled non-essential. That led plastic surgeon, Dr. Alina Sholar, to say, “Patients are getting tossed aside right now by bureaucrats focused on the virus with a total lack of consideration for the future care and the future health of everyone else.” Even Dr. Anthony Fauci recently warned on CNBC that the lockdowns could cause “irreparable damage.” Rutherford explained, “The consequences in terms of mental health for many of my patients and many people throughout this country are devastating. And it’s going to get worse the longer we keep our economy locked down.” ‘This Is a Lives-for-Lives Situation’ Sholar declared, “This is not a money-for-lives situation. This is a lives-for-lives situation.” Dr. Alfonso Di Carlo said of the government figures clamping down on citizens, patients, and physicians, “We need to start rising up and telling these officials, ‘look, we respect you, but you’re not a doctor.” He went on, “In this country we have rights. All our people in this country, we’re endowed by our Creator; we have rights and civil liberties. And we get to choose what we want to do, not have government dictate medical health care issues on us.” The doctors involved in the project represent more than 21,000 years of medical practice have even written to the White House, warning, “The millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke or kidney failure. In youths, it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty, and abuse.” To read the original article click here. For more articles from CBN News click here.

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Researchers Find Clue to Preventing Addiction Relapse

AHA Publisher — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 08:00:00 +0000

University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine via EurekAlert – With any addiction in which a user has successfully resisted a chemical, activity or substance, relapse is vexing. And with opioids, it’s often deadly. Fatal overdoses following relapse from an opioid addiction is reaching epidemic proportions. In 2017, more than 70,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those deaths, almost 68 percent involved a prescription or illicit opioid. A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology reported that relapse can be prevented by controlling cells in a brain region called the nucleus accumbens. The study was conducted among 90 Sprague Dawley rats with genetic diversity. “We used a tool called chemogenetic receptors to act as a light switch on the cells,” said senior author Susan Ferguson, director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UW’s School of Medicine. “When we changed activity of neurons in the nucleus accumbens, we were able to control relapse behavior.” She said this process could be used to prevent relapse for any addiction – including compulsive gambling and overeating – because they affect the same brain regions as drug addiction. Among the 90 rats exposed to heroin, roughly 40% developed addiction-like behavior. The researchers used six common features of addiction to determine whether the rats were high-risk or casual users: • How much heroin did they ingest? • During periods of drug-availability, how much time was spent engaging in drug use? • During periods in which a cue signaled that the drug was unavailable, how much time did they spend seeking the drug? • How motivated were they to get heroin? • During treatment, were they still motivated to get drugs? • If they were given a cue associated with their drug use, did they relapse? With this model, the researchers focused on identifying the brain circuitry that regulates addictive behavior, and used artificial receptors to control activity in the nucleus accumbens. Receptors are activated by chemicals such as dopamine or by medications, which cause brain cell activity to increase or decrease. The researchers could affect the behavior only of the high-risk rats, however, and they could not discern what motivated some rats to use drugs and others to ignore the drugs. Future studies could explore that, Ferguson said. The research confirms the influence of chemogenetic receptors, Ferguson said, and shows how technology can target specific cell populations in the brain rather than the entire brain. “I envision and hope we could make a pill that decreases relapse but still keeps people motivated for other things, and feeling good,” she said. To read the original article click here.

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