Cannabis use prior to first onset psychosis predicts spared neurocognition at 10-year follow-up.
A priori cannabis use was recorded at index admission for 112 participants in the Manchester first-episode psychosis cohort. 69 of the 100 surviving (mainly schizophrenia) patients were followed up 10-12 years later and assessed on a battery of clinical, behavioural and neurocognitive measures. Individuals who had not used cannabis before the first episode of illness were generally indistinguishable from cannabis users at follow-up, except that the latter group evidenced a marked 'sparing' of neurocognitive functions. These findings are briefly discussed in relation to other casual factors in psychosis.
Stirling
John
J
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Elizabeth Gaskell Building, Hathersage Road, M13 0JA, UK. J.stirling@mmu.ac.uk
Lewis
Shon
S
Hopkins
Richard
R
White
Colin
C
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology