Neuroanatomical alterations in people with high and low cannabis dependence

Authors

Valentina Lorenzetti, Australian Catholic University
Yann Chye, Monash University
Chao Suo, Monash University
Mark Walterfang, University of Melbourne
Daniel Lubman, Monash University
Michael J. Takagi, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteFollow
Sarah Whittle, University of Melbourne
Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Monash University
Janna Cousijn, University of Amsterdam
Christos Pantelis, University of Melbourne
Marc Seal, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Alex Fornito, Monash University
Murat Yucel, Monash University
Nadia Solowij, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

137790

Publication Details

Lorenzetti, V., Chye, Y., Suo, C., Walterfang, M., Lubman, D. I., Takagi, M., Whittle, S., Verdejo-Garcia, A., Cousijn, J., Pantelis, C., Seal, M., Fornito, A., Yucel, M. & Solowij, N. (2020). Neuroanatomical alterations in people with high and low cannabis dependence. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 54 (1), 68-75.

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 circuits that are specific to high-dependence cannabis users.

Grant Number

NHMRC/459111