Genetic Risk Scores for Cannabis Use Predicted Symptom Trajectories After First-Episode Psychosis
In 249 first-episode psychosis patients followed for 12 months, polygenic risk scores for cannabis use disorder predicted baseline cannabis consumption, while scores for cannabis initiation predicted the trajectory of negative and general symptoms over time.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Current cannabis use was associated with increased positive symptoms. Earlier age of cannabis initiation conditioned 12-month symptom progression. Higher polygenic risk for CUD (PRSCUD) predicted increased baseline cannabis use in FEP patients. Polygenic risk for cannabis initiation (PRSCI) was associated with the course of negative and general symptoms over 12 months. Cannabis initiation and CUD may have partially independent genetic factors.
Key Numbers
N=249 FEP patients. 12-month follow-up. PRSCUD predicted baseline cannabis use. PRSCI predicted negative and general symptom trajectories. Earlier cannabis initiation conditioned symptom progression.
How They Did This
Cohort study of 249 FEP individuals evaluated over 12 months. Symptom severity measured with PANSS. Cannabis use assessed with EuropASI. Individual polygenic risk scores constructed for lifetime cannabis initiation and cannabis use disorder.
Why This Research Matters
This suggests that genetic factors influencing whether someone tries cannabis versus whether they develop problematic use are partially independent, and each influences different aspects of psychosis outcomes. This could eventually enable personalized treatment approaches.
The Bigger Picture
Precision psychiatry aims to match treatments to individual patient profiles. If genetic risk scores can identify which psychosis patients are most vulnerable to cannabis-related harm, clinicians could prioritize substance use interventions for those patients.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Exploratory analysis with modest sample size. Polygenic risk scores explain a small fraction of variance. Single cohort without replication. Cannot determine causal direction between genetic risk, cannabis use, and symptom trajectories.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could cannabis polygenic risk scores be used clinically to identify high-risk FEP patients?
- ?Would cannabis-specific interventions improve outcomes for FEP patients with high genetic risk?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Genetic risk for cannabis initiation predicted psychosis symptom trajectories over 12 months
- Evidence Grade:
- Cohort study with 12-month follow-up. Exploratory polygenic risk analysis with modest sample size.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2023.
- Original Title:
- Exploration of cannabis use and polygenic risk scores on the psychotic symptom progression of a FEP cohort.
- Published In:
- Psychiatry research, 325, 115249 (2023)
- Authors:
- Segura, Alex G, Mané, Anna(5), Prohens, Llucia, Rodriguez, Natalia, Mezquida, Gisela, Cuesta, Manuel J, Vieta, Eduard, Amoretti, Silvia, Lobo, Antonio, González-Pinto, Ana, Diaz-Caneja, Covadonga M, Bejarano, Alexandra Roldán, Jimenez, Esther, Baeza, Immaculada, Legido, Teresa, Saiz-Ruiz, Jeronimo, Bernardo, Miguel, Mas, Sergi
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04925
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Does genetics predict who will use cannabis during psychosis?
Polygenic risk scores for cannabis use disorder predicted baseline cannabis consumption in first-episode psychosis patients, suggesting genetic vulnerability plays a role.
Can genetic tests predict psychosis outcomes?
In this exploratory study, genetic risk for cannabis initiation predicted the trajectory of negative and general symptoms over 12 months, but these scores explain only a small fraction of individual variation.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- THC-amygdala-anxiety-brain
- anandamide-weed-withdrawal
- cannabinoid-receptors-recovery-time
- cannabis-developing-brain-teenagers
- cant-enjoy-anything-without-weed
- dopamine-recovery-after-quitting-weed
- endocannabinoid-system-explained-simply
- endocannabinoid-system-withdrawal
- nervous-system-weed-withdrawal-fight-flight
- teen-weed-use-under-18-effects-brain
- thc-brain-withdrawal
- thc-prefrontal-cortex-brain-effects
- weed-cortisol-stress-hormones
- weed-memory-loss-recovery
- weed-motivation-amotivational-syndrome
- weed-nervous-system-effects
- weed-reward-system-brain
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04925APA
Segura, Alex G; Mané, Anna; Prohens, Llucia; Rodriguez, Natalia; Mezquida, Gisela; Cuesta, Manuel J; Vieta, Eduard; Amoretti, Silvia; Lobo, Antonio; González-Pinto, Ana; Diaz-Caneja, Covadonga M; Bejarano, Alexandra Roldán; Jimenez, Esther; Baeza, Immaculada; Legido, Teresa; Saiz-Ruiz, Jeronimo; Bernardo, Miguel; Mas, Sergi. (2023). Exploration of cannabis use and polygenic risk scores on the psychotic symptom progression of a FEP cohort.. Psychiatry research, 325, 115249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115249
MLA
Segura, Alex G, et al. "Exploration of cannabis use and polygenic risk scores on the psychotic symptom progression of a FEP cohort.." Psychiatry research, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115249
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Exploration of cannabis use and polygenic risk scores on the..." RTHC-04925. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/segura-2023-exploration-of-cannabis-use
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.