Comorbid cannabis use and panic disorder: short term and long term follow‐up study

Abstract

Acute cannabis use can be associated with the onset of panic attacks and panic disorder, and panic disorder which develops after cannabis use is responsive to pharmacotherapy.

The Endocannabinoid System as an Emerging Target of Pharmacotherapy

“…THC, under certain conditions and at certain doses, exerts anxiolytic, antidepressant, and hypnotic effects in patients suffering from pain associated with cancer or multiple sclerosis and improves mood and general well-being in normal subjects (Regelson et al, 1976;Glass et al, 1980;Ashton et al, 1981;Fabre and McLendon, 1981;Ilaria et al, 1981;Martyn et al, 1995;Ashton, 1999;Wade et al, 2003). However, under different conditions and at higher doses, cannabis or THC can produce dysphoric reactions, anxiety, panic paranoia, and psychosis (Spencer, 1971;Halikas et al, 1972;Chopra and Smith, 1974;Ashton et al, 1981Ashton et al, , 2005 Dannon et al, 2004;D'Souza et al, 2004;reviewed in Hollister, 1986;Hall and Solowij, 1998).…”

Interaction Between L-Type Calcium Channels and Antagonist of Cannabinoid System on Anxiety in Male Rat

“…Some of the cannabinoid receptor agonists produce anxiolytic effects in the plus maze at low doses (35) and produce an anxiogenic profile in higher doses (41). Furthermore, it has been shown that THC and other CB1 receptor agonists exert a bidirectional influence on anxiety responses according to the administrated dosage (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47). The biphasic effects of cannabinoids on anxiety-related responses have been extensively documented in rodents.…”

“…Conversely, high concentrations of the same compounds are generally associated with the opposite outcomes (31, 49,50). In human studies, it has been reported that consumption of modest amounts of cannabis and CB1 receptor agonists would result in euphoria, relaxation, heightened perception, sociability, and creativity while moderate to high doses have been reported to elicit phobia, agitation, panic, dysphoria, and cognitive impairments (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47). In line with these premises, early studies showed a robust anxiolytic effect of lowdose nabilone in comparison with placebo (51,52).…”

Potential Psychological Factors Associated with High Risk for Cannabis Abuse: Evidence from Multiple Logistic Regression

“…According to various studies, increasing cannabis use is associated with increasing levels of depression [19,20]. Moreover cannabis use has also been correlated to depressive disorders [31] anxiety symptoms [6,25,32,33] and anxiety vulnerability [34,35].…”