Schizophrenia Research
Volume 106, Issue 2 , Pages 286-293, December 2008

Temporal association of cannabis use with symptoms in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis

  • Cheryl M. Corcoran

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10032, United States.
    • ,
  • David Kimhy

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Arielle Stanford

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Shamir Khan

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Julie Walsh

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Judy Thompson

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Scott Schobel

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Jill Harkavy-Friedman

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Ray Goetz

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Tiziano Colibazzi

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Victoria Cressman

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • ,
  • Dolores Malaspina

      Affiliations

    • Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States
    • New York University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, United States

Received 24 January 2008; received in revised form 6 August 2008; accepted 11 August 2008. published online 22 September 2008.

Abstract 

Background

Cannabis use is reported to increase the risk for psychosis, but no prospective study has longitudinally examined drug use and symptoms concurrently in clinical high risk cases.

Method

We prospectively followed for up to 2 years 32 cases who met research criteria for prodromal psychosis to examine the relationship between substance use and clinical measures.

Results

Cases with a baseline history of cannabis use (41%) were older, but did not differ in clinical measures. Longitudinal assessments showed these cases had significantly more perceptual disturbances and worse functioning during epochs of increased cannabis use that were unexplained by concurrent use of other drugs or medications.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate that cannabis use may be a risk factor for the exacerbation of subthreshold psychotic symptoms, specifically perceptual disturbances, in high risk cases.

Keywords: Cannabis, Longitudinal, Prodrome, Psychosis, Risk

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PII: S0920-9964(08)00371-X

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2008.08.008

Schizophrenia Research
Volume 106, Issue 2 , Pages 286-293, December 2008

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