Kannabista käyttävien ensipsykoosi on pahempi ja vaikeammin hoidettavissa kuin ei- kannabista käyttävien
Cannabis use disorder and dissociation: a report from a prospective first-episode psychosis study
V.Ricci, et al (Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Highlights
•
Cannabis-associated psychosis show unique characteristics at onset and over time.
•
Cannabis plays a role in inducing a greater state of dissociation.
•
Cannabis users experience more positive symptoms and worse functioning.
•
DES-II shows a higher score for high-potency cannabiscompared to the lower one.
ABSTRACT
Background
Cannabis is the most used recreational drug worldwide. Its use canincrease the risk of developing psychotic disorders and exacerbatetheir course. However, the relationship between cannabis use and dissociative symptoms has been scarcely investigated.
Aims
To examine differences in psychotic and dissociative symptoms, and in functioning in first-episode psychotic patients (FEPp) usingcannabis compared with those not using cannabis.
Methods
Between January 2014 and December 2019, seventy FEPp withcannabis use disorder (N=35) and without it (N=35) wererecruited in psychiatric inpatient facilities in the Italian regions of Lazio and Piemonte. All subjects were assessed at FEP, after 4 and 8 months, using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale and the Dissociative Experiences Scale – II (DES-II). Detailed information on the pattern of cannabis and other substance use were collected.
Results
FEP using cannabis showed higher levels of positive symptomatology dissociative experiences and worse functioning than their non-user counterpart, despite a comparable antipsychotic treatment.
At an eight-month prospective evaluation, FEP using cannabis still showed higher levels of positive symptomatology and dissociation. Moreover, global functioning worsened over time in FEPp using cannabis, whereas it improved those not using it.
Discussion
Our findings suggest that a greater degree of dissociation and positive symptoms at FEPp and their persistence over time may characterise cannabis-associated psychosis. Both these factors might explain the overall functioning worsening over time that we observed in the cannabis-user group compared to the functioning improvement in the non-user group.
Keywords
cannabis
THC
first-episode psychosis
schizophrenia
ref: Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Available online 10 October 2021, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037687162100613X (19.10.2021)
V.Ricci, et al (Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Highlights
•
Cannabis-associated psychosis show unique characteristics at onset and over time.
•
Cannabis plays a role in inducing a greater state of dissociation.
•
Cannabis users experience more positive symptoms and worse functioning.
•
DES-II shows a higher score for high-potency cannabiscompared to the lower one.
ABSTRACT
Background
Cannabis is the most used recreational drug worldwide. Its use canincrease the risk of developing psychotic disorders and exacerbatetheir course. However, the relationship between cannabis use and dissociative symptoms has been scarcely investigated.
Aims
To examine differences in psychotic and dissociative symptoms, and in functioning in first-episode psychotic patients (FEPp) usingcannabis compared with those not using cannabis.
Methods
Between January 2014 and December 2019, seventy FEPp withcannabis use disorder (N=35) and without it (N=35) wererecruited in psychiatric inpatient facilities in the Italian regions of Lazio and Piemonte. All subjects were assessed at FEP, after 4 and 8 months, using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale and the Dissociative Experiences Scale – II (DES-II). Detailed information on the pattern of cannabis and other substance use were collected.
Results
FEP using cannabis showed higher levels of positive symptomatology dissociative experiences and worse functioning than their non-user counterpart, despite a comparable antipsychotic treatment.
At an eight-month prospective evaluation, FEP using cannabis still showed higher levels of positive symptomatology and dissociation. Moreover, global functioning worsened over time in FEPp using cannabis, whereas it improved those not using it.
Discussion
Our findings suggest that a greater degree of dissociation and positive symptoms at FEPp and their persistence over time may characterise cannabis-associated psychosis. Both these factors might explain the overall functioning worsening over time that we observed in the cannabis-user group compared to the functioning improvement in the non-user group.
Keywords
cannabis
THC
first-episode psychosis
schizophrenia
ref: Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Available online 10 October 2021, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037687162100613X (19.10.2021)