Greater white and grey matter changes associated with early cannabis use in adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS)

Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of first-episode psychosis in young adult male patients: combined analysis of grey and white matter

“…20,21 Overall, our results were similar to those reported in 2 recent TBSS studies involving adolescents with first-episode psychosis with respect to the lower fractional anisotropy among a vast network of fibre tracts. 6,23 However, in contrast to Douaud and colleagues, 23 we also found greater radial diffusivity in a network of fibre tracts similar to those highlighted in the fractional anisotropy analysis.…”

“…James and colleagues 6 and Douaud and colleagues 23 studied both grey matter VBM and white matter TBSS in adolescent patients, whereas Moriya and colleagues 35 studied grey matter VBM, and fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity VBA in patients with first-episode psychosis between the ages of 13 and 52 (mean 30) years. James and colleagues 6 found globally less grey matter tissue and lower fractional anisotropy in a vast network of white matter tracts in patients with first-episode psychosis than in controls. Douaud and colleagues 23 found less grey matter tissue in the Heschl gyrus, parietal operculum and the supplementary motor area and lower fractional anisotropy in a vast network of white matter tracts in patients with first-episode psychosis than in controls.…”

“…22,23 A recently introduced advanced analysis technique, tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), that allows for reducing potential misregistrations by projecting all individual DTI parameters onto a group average white matter skeleton, has been used in 2 studies involving adolescents with first-episode psychosis. 6,23 These studies reported lower fractional anisotropy that concerned a vast network of white matter tracts.…”

“…Some studies reported less grey matter tissue globally in patients with first-episode psychosis compared with controls. 5,6 Others reported less grey matter tissue confined to the frontal and temporal cortex in patients with first-episode psychosis. 7,8 Contradictory data, such as a greater grey matter tissue in the frontal and temporal lobes in patients with first-episode psych osis have also been reported.…”

Neurobiology of Comorbid Substance Use Disorders in Mental Illness: A Closer Look at the Underlying Commonalities between Cannabis and Schizophrenia

“…In adolescent-onset schizophrenia, cannabis use was associated with grey-matter density loss in widespread cortical areas and the cerebellum [83]. A study that focused specifically on the cerebellum demonstrated an addictive effect of having a diagnosis of schizophrenia and cannabis use and schizophrenia on white-matter cerebellar volume loss [84].…”