Neuroanatomical alterations in people with high and low cannabis dependence. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lorenzetti, Valentina; Chye, Yann; Suo, Chao; Walterfang, Mark; Lubman, Dan I; Takagi, Michael; Whittle, Sarah; Verdejo-Garcia, Antonio; Cousijn, Janna; Pantelis, Christos; Seal, Marc; Fornito, Alex; Yücel, Murat; Solowij, Nadia
• Is Part Of: Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry. Volume 54:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 68
• Page End: 75
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Cannabis -- dependence -- neuroanatomy -- magnetic resonance imaging -- hippocampus -- caudate -- pituitary gland -- cerebellum; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Australia -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1177/0004867419859077
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0004-8674

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.