TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortical surface morphology in long-term cannabis users: A multi-site MRI study
T2 - A multi-site MRI study
AU - Chye, Y.
AU - Suo, C.
AU - Lorenzetti, V.
AU - Batalla, A.
AU - Cousijn, J.
AU - Goudriaan, A.E.
AU - Martin-Santos, R.
AU - Whittle, S.
AU - Solowij, N.
AU - Yücel, M.
N1 - With supplementary file
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Cannabis exerts its psychoactive effect through cannabinoid receptors that are widely distributed across the cortical surface of the human brain. It is suggested that cannabis use may contribute to structural alterations across the cortical surface. In a large, multisite dataset of 120 controls and 141 cannabis users, we examined whether differences in key characteristics of the cortical surface - including cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification index were related to cannabis use characteristics, including (i) cannabis use vs. non-use, (ii) cannabis dependence vs. non-dependence vs. non-use, and (iii) early adolescent vs. late adolescent onset of cannabis use vs. non-use. Our results revealed that cortical morphology was not associated with cannabis use, dependence, or onset age. The lack of effect of regular cannabis use, including problematic use, on cortical structure in our study is contrary to previous evidence of cortical morphological alterations (particularly in relation to cannabis dependence and cannabis onset age) in cannabis users. Careful reevaluation of the evidence on cannabis-related harm will be necessary to address concerns surrounding the long-term effects of cannabis use and inform policies in a changing cannabis regulation climate.
AB - Cannabis exerts its psychoactive effect through cannabinoid receptors that are widely distributed across the cortical surface of the human brain. It is suggested that cannabis use may contribute to structural alterations across the cortical surface. In a large, multisite dataset of 120 controls and 141 cannabis users, we examined whether differences in key characteristics of the cortical surface - including cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification index were related to cannabis use characteristics, including (i) cannabis use vs. non-use, (ii) cannabis dependence vs. non-dependence vs. non-use, and (iii) early adolescent vs. late adolescent onset of cannabis use vs. non-use. Our results revealed that cortical morphology was not associated with cannabis use, dependence, or onset age. The lack of effect of regular cannabis use, including problematic use, on cortical structure in our study is contrary to previous evidence of cortical morphological alterations (particularly in relation to cannabis dependence and cannabis onset age) in cannabis users. Careful reevaluation of the evidence on cannabis-related harm will be necessary to address concerns surrounding the long-term effects of cannabis use and inform policies in a changing cannabis regulation climate.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Cerebral Cortex/diagnostic imaging
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
KW - Linear Models
KW - Longitudinal Studies
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Male
KW - Marijuana Abuse/diagnostic imaging
KW - Young Adult
UR - https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/35645544/1_s2.0_S0924977X18319874_mmc1.docx
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.1110
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.1110
M3 - Article
C2 - 30558823
SN - 0924-977X
VL - 29
SP - 257
EP - 265
JO - European neuropsychopharmacology
JF - European neuropsychopharmacology
IS - 2
ER -