Cannabis use and hippocampal subfield volumes in males with a first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and healthy controls

Abstract

BackgroundBoth schizophrenia and cannabis use are associated with structural brain changes. The hippocampus is a region of particular interest due to its role in memory and select cognitive functions, impairment of which is a core feature of schizophrenia and has also been observed in substance abuse. This study aimed to explore the effects of recent/current cannabis use on hippocampal subfield volumes in male patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders and matched controls. MethodsThis cross-sectional, case-control study included 63 patients and 58 controls scanned on 3T MRI scanners, with hippocampal segmentation performed using recently validated Freesurfer v6.0 software. Cannabis use status was determined by self and carer report together with urine toxicology screening, and patients were categorised as recent/current users or non-users. We used multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with age, scan sequence, scan quality, and total intracranial volume as covariates, with subsequent analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the effects of diagnosis and cannabis use status on individual hippocampal subfields. ResultsWe found a group (patient/control) by cannabis use interaction effect in the subiculum, with decreased volumes observed in the cannabis non-using patients compared to the cannabis using patients, and decreased volumes in the cannabis using controls compared to the cannabis non-using controls. ConclusionThe increased subiculum volume in cannabis using patients compared to cannabis non-using patients raises important questions regarding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the role of cannabis use therein.