Alteration to hippocampal shape in cannabis users with and without schizophrenia

N Solowij; M Walterfang; DI Lubman; S Whittle; V Lorenzetti; M Styner; D Velakoulis; C Pantelis; M Yücel

Journal article

Alteration to hippocampal shape in cannabis users with and without schizophrenia

N Solowij, M Walterfang, DI Lubman, S Whittle, V Lorenzetti, M Styner, D Velakoulis, C Pantelis, M Yücel

Schizophrenia Research | ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2012.10.040

Abstract

Abnormalities in hippocampal morphology are characteristic of schizophrenia and have also been reported in chronic cannabis users. There is a paucity of research investigating potential additive effects of cannabis use on brain pathology associated with schizophrenia. In this study, we performed hippocampal shape analysis in cannabis-using and non-using patients with schizophrenia, healthy cannabis users and healthy non-using controls. Hippocampal shape changes were observed in each group relative to controls, with the greatest degree of alterations (i.e., deflations across the hippocampus, and with an anterior predisposition), in cannabis-using schizophrenia patients. These alterations were..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Mark Walterfang Author

Sarah Whittle Author

Dennis Velakoulis Author

Christos Pantelis Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Institutes of Health

Funding Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation for Biomedical Research, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (Project Grant 459111) and the Schizophrenia Research Institute using infrastructure funding from NSW Health. The study was also supported by the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB), which is supported by the NHMRC, the Pratt Foundation, Ramsay Health Care, the Viertel Charitable Foundation and the Schizophrenia Research Institute. NS is supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT110100752). CP is supported by a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship 628386 and Program Grant 566529. MY is supported by a NHMRC Fellowship Award 1001973 and SW by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship 1007716. MS is supported by NIH grants P40 HD 03110 (IDDRC) and U54 EB005149 (NA-MIC). No funding body had any further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. There are no conflicts of interests between the authors and the reported research. In the past three years, MW has provided consultancy for Actelion Pharmaceuticals Australia; DL has received speaking honoraria from Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals and Janssen-Cilag, as well as provided consultancy support to Lundbeck; DV has received speaking honoraria from Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, and Eli Lilly; CP has provided consultancy for Janssen-Cilag, Eli Lilly, Hospira (Mayne), Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Schering Plough, and Lundbeck and has undertaken investigator initiated studies supported by Eli Lilly, Hospira, Janssen-Cilag, and Astra Zeneca; and MY has received a speaking honorarium from Janssen-Cilag. These activities are unrelated to the present work.