“Complex” genetic links between marijuana use and psychiatric illnesses

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 23, 2023 (HealthDay News) — A subset of people may be at high risk for psychiatric disorders and marijuana use, based on their genetics, according to a new study.

“These findings are important because they show that the complex links between cannabis use and these disorders may not only be caused by cannabis use itself, but could also be driven by shared genetic susceptibility,” the co-author said. – main author. Nadine Parker said in a university press release.

The rate of cannabis use is high among patients with psychosis-related disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug that can sometimes produce psychotic-like symptoms, according to the study.

“This study shows that there is a common genetic basis underlying our susceptibility to both cannabis use and certain psychiatric disorders,” said the co-lead author. Weiqiu Cheng said in the press release.

To investigate this, Parker, Cheng and their colleagues used advanced statistical modeling. They found that a majority of shared variants increased the risk of both using cannabis and developing either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Yet, some genetic variants with opposite effects increased the risk of cannabis use while decreasing the risk of both psychiatric disorders.

In some parts of the world, cannabis is used medicinally for pain relief or as an antidepressant, the authors noted. A component of the drug is considered a potential treatment for psychosis.

“Shared genetic variants with opposite effects may suggest the presence of biological mechanisms that could support the beneficial effects of cannabis,” the researchers said.

These findings may lead to personalized care, including preventive and interventional measures for those at high risk, the authors said. This could include reducing cannabis use among people at high genetic risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and stratifying patients for more specialized treatment plans.

Future studies investigating the biological effects of shared genetic variants could help develop more targeted treatment efforts, the authors said.

SOURCE: University of Oslo, press release, May 19, 2023

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