Neuroanatomical alterations in people with high and low cannabis dependence

V Lorenzetti; Y Chye; C Suo; M Walterfang; DI Lubman; M Takagi; S Whittle; A Verdejo-Garcia; J Cousijn; C Pantelis; M Seal; A Fornito; M Yücel; N Solowij

Journal article

Neuroanatomical alterations in people with high and low cannabis dependence

V Lorenzetti, Y Chye, C Suo, M Walterfang, DI Lubman, M Takagi, S Whittle, A Verdejo-Garcia, J Cousijn, C Pantelis, M Seal, A Fornito, M Yücel, N Solowij

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry | SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD | Published : 2020

DOI: 10.1177/0004867419859077

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether severity of cannabis dependence is associated with the neuroanatomy of key brain regions of the stress and reward brain circuits. Methods: To examine dependence-specific regional brain alterations, we compared the volumes of regions relevant to reward and stress, between high-dependence cannabis users (CD+, n = 25), low-dependence cannabis users (CD−, n = 20) and controls (n = 37). Results: Compared to CD− and/or controls, the CD+ group had lower cerebellar white matter and hippocampal volumes, and deflation of the right hippocampus head and tail. Conclusion: These findings provide initial support for neuroadaptations involving stress and reward ci..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Mark Walterfang Author

Sarah Whittle Author

Christos Pantelis Author

Marc L Seal Author

Related Projects (3)

QUANTIFYING THE NEUROCOGNITIVE IMPACT OF CANNABIS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN: THE EVOLUTION OF MEMORY DEFICITS

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance, and its use is particularly prevalent during adolescence and young adulthood. Adolescenc..

NEUROBIOLOGICAL 'RISK' AND 'RESILIENCE' BIOMARKERS OF SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS

Mental disorders of childhood (schizotypal disorder, autism spectrum disorders) and adolescence (psychoses, schizophrenia) represent a major..

NEURODEVELOPMENTAL RISK FACTORS FOR DEPRESSION FROM CHILDHOOD TO EARLY ADULTHOOD

To understand who is at risk for depression, we need to understand how both the environment and biological factors promote risk at specific ..

Grants

Awarded by Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Funding Acknowledgements

The author(s) received the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by a NHMRC Project Grant (#459111). Yann Chye was supported by a Monash Postdoctoral Bridging Fellowship. Sarah Whittle was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellowship L2 (APP1125504). Christos Pantelis was supported by a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship (1105825). Alex Fornito was supported by the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Foundation.