summary: Researchers have found a common genetic basis for cannabis use and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This study employed advanced statistical modeling to reveal the complex interplay of genetic variants that increase or decrease risk factors for these conditions.
These findings may contribute to personalized prevention and intervention strategies. In addition, a better understanding of this gene duplication may aid in more specialized treatment planning.
Important facts:
- The study identifies common genetic factors that increase susceptibility to both cannabis use and certain psychiatric disorders.
- Some genetic mutations may have the opposite effect of increasing the risk of cannabis use while decreasing the risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- These findings may revolutionize the development of prevention, intervention strategies and more targeted treatments.
sauce: University of Oslo
A new study from the University of Oslo lancet psychiatryreported a common genetic basis for cannabis use and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
These findings may indicate that parts of the population are at increased risk for both cannabis use and mental illness, based on genetic predisposition.
There has been much debate about the relationship between cannabis use and psychiatric disorders. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug and can cause psychotic-like symptoms in some cases.
Additionally, cannabis use is high among patients with psychotic-related disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Genetic factors play an important role in determining an individual’s susceptibility to developing mental illness and likelihood of cannabis use. Some genetic variants associated with cannabis use have also been associated with mental illness.
This recent study was led by Dr. et al. Weiqiu Cheng and Nadine Parker provide evidence that common genetic factors underlie this relationship.
“This study shows that there is a common genetic basis underlying our susceptibility to both cannabis use and certain mental illnesses. It may indicate that the department is at higher risk for both cannabis use and mental illness,” said lead author Weiqiu Cheng.
This study uses advanced statistical modeling to show that most common mutations increase the risk of both cannabis use and the development of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Still, there are some genetic variants with opposing effects that increase the risk of cannabis use while lowering the risk of the two psychiatric disorders, suggesting a complex relationship.
“These findings indicate that the complex relationship between cannabis use and these disorders can be driven not only by cannabis use itself, but also by shared genetic susceptibility. So it’s important,” says researcher Nadine Parker.
Cannabis is used medicinally in some parts of the world as a pain reliever and as an antidepressant. Also, one component of cannabis is being investigated as a potential treatment for psychosis.
“Common genetic variants with opposing effects may suggest the existence of biological mechanisms underpinning the beneficial effects of cannabis,” the researchers note.
These new findings have some important clinical implications.
First, this information may lead to personalized care, including preventive and interventional measures for high-risk individuals. This could include reducing cannabis use in individuals at high genetic risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Second, future studies investigating the biological effects of common genetic mutations may contribute to the development of more targeted therapeutic efforts.
Finally, improved knowledge of gene duplications will help stratify patients for more specialized treatment regimens.
About this genetics and mental health research news
author: press office
sauce: University of Oslo
contact: Press Office – University of Oslo
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: closed access.
“Relationship between cannabis use, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a genetically informed studyBy Weiqiu Cheng et al. lancet psychiatry
overview
Relationship between cannabis use, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a genetically informed study
Background
The relationship between psychotic disorders and cannabis use is much debated. Underlying genetic risk sharing is one possible explanation. We investigated genetic associations between psychotic disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) and cannabis phenotypes (lifelong cannabis use and cannabis use disorders).
method
We used genome-wide association summary statistics from individuals of European ancestry from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, the UK Biobank, and the International Cannabis Consortium. We estimated the heritability, polygenicity and discoverability of each phenotype. We performed genome-wide and local genetic correlations. Shared loci were identified, mapped to genes, and tested for enhancement. Common genetic propensities for psychotic disorders and cannabis phenotypes were investigated using a Norwegian thematically organized psychosis cohort using causal analysis and polygenic scores.
Investigation result
Psychotic disorders were more heritable than cannabis phenotypes and more polygenic than cannabis use disorders. We observed a genome-wide positive genetic correlation (range 0.22–0.35) between psychotic disorders and cannabis phenotypes, mixed with local positive and negative genetic correlations. . Between 3 and 27 common loci were identified for pairs of psychotic disorders and cannabis phenotypes. The abundance of mapped genes suggested that they are involved not only in drug gene targets for nicotine, alcohol and duloxetine, but also in neurons and olfactory cells.
Psychotic disorders were causally linked to cannabis phenotypes, and lifetime cannabis use was causally linked to bipolar disorder. Of the 2181 European participants in the Norwegian thematic organized psychosis cohort applied to the polygenic risk score analysis, 1060 (48 6%) were female and 1121 (51 4%) were male. (Average age 33.1 years old) [SD 11·8]). 400 participants had bipolar disorder, 697 had schizophrenia, and 1044 were healthy controls.
Within this sample, polygenic scores for cannabis phenotypes independently predicted psychotic disorders and improved predictions over polygenic scores for psychotic disorders.
interpretation
A subgroup of individuals may be at higher genetic risk for developing psychotic disorders and using cannabis. The findings support public health efforts to reduce cannabis use, especially among high-risk individuals and patients with mental disorders. The identified shared loci and their functional implications may facilitate the development of new therapeutics.
fundraising
U.S. National Institutes of Health, Norwegian Research Council, Southeast Regional Health Service, Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen, EEA-RO-NO-2018–0535, European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Oslo University of Life Sciences.