Cannabis and Schizophrenia
- From: James Michael Howard <jmhoward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:40:51 GMT
Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders:
follow-up study of 535 incident cases (British Journal of Psychiatry 2005;
187: 510-515)
"Results Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were diagnosed in 44.5% of the
sample. New psychotic episodes of any type were diagnosed in 77.2%. Male
gender and young age were associated with increased risk. Development of
schizophrenia-spectrum disorders was often delayed, and 47.1% of patients
received a diagnosis more than a year after seeking treatment for a
cannabis-induced psychosis. The patients developed schizophrenia at an
earlier agethanpeople in the comparison group (males, 24.6 v. 30.7 years,
females, 28.9 v. 33.1 years). "
"It is my hypothesis that schizophrenia begins with interference of the
actions of, or simply low, DHEA in utero. This produces reduced growth and
development of the brain. This is the "early lesion." Later in life, the
hormones cortisol and testosterone act to reduce the availability / action
of DHEA. This often occurs around the time when DHEA begins to naturally
decline, in the late teens or early twenties. These combine to reduce
function and structure of the parts of the brain affected in schizophrenia;
symptoms and anatomy show decline. Hence, schizophrenia is often associated
with a stressful event, cortisol, follows puberty in both sexes, but
affects males more, and occurs when DHEA declines. DHEA has been found to
be low in schizophrenia.
DHEA utilizes androgen receptors. One study examining the "anti- androgenic
effects" of cannabis found interference of androgens (dihydrotestosterone)
with androgen receptors (Endocrinology 1980; 107: 848-50). I suggest
cannbis use may adversely affect growth and development of the brain by
interferring with the effects of DHEA via androgen receptors. This
explanation may explain the findings of Arendt, et al."
James Michael Howard
Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.A.
.
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