Cannabis use disorder and age at onset of psychosis--a study in first-episode patients

Schimmelmann, Benno Karl Edgar; Conus, Philippe; Cotton, Sue M; Kupferschmid, Stephan; Karow, Anne; Schultze-Lutter, Frauke; McGorry, Patrick D; Lambert, Martin (2011). Cannabis use disorder and age at onset of psychosis--a study in first-episode patients. Schizophrenia Research, 129(1), pp. 52-56. Elsevier 10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.023

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INTRODUCTION
Age at onset of psychosis (AAO) may be younger in patients with cannabis use disorders (CUD) compared to those without CUD (NCUD). Previous studies included CUD co-morbid with other substance use disorders (SUD), and many did not control for confounders.

METHODS
Controlling for relevant confounders, differences in AAO between patients with and without CUD excluding those with any other SUD were analyzed in a large representative file audit of 625 first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients (age 14 to 29years) admitted to the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

RESULTS
Three quarters of the 625 FEP patients had a CUD. Cannabis use started before psychosis onset in 87.6% of patients. AAO was not significantly different between CUD (without other SUD, n=201) and NCUD (n=157). However, AAO was younger in those with early CUD (starting age 14 or younger) compared to NCUD (F(1)=5.2; p=0.024; partial η(2)=0.026). Earlier age at onset of cannabis use predicted earlier age at onset of psychosis (β=-0.49, R(2)-change=0.25, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
Only CUD starting age 14 or younger was associated with an earlier AAO at a small effect size. These findings suggest that CUD may exert an indirect effect on brain maturation resulting in earlier AAO potentially only in cannabis sensitive subjects.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
UniBE Contributor:	Schimmelmann, Benno Karl Edgar, Kupferschmid, Stephan, Schultze-Lutter, Frauke
Subjects:	600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
ISSN:	0920-9964
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Myriam Pyrlik
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:18
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:05
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.023
PubMed ID:	21498049
Web of Science ID:	000291905700008
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/5793 (FactScience: 210627)