title: Cannabis dependence: Effects of cannabis consumption on inter-regional cerebral metabolic relationships in an Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of cannabis consumption on neurophysiological function have been a matter of considerable debate. With the legalization of medical marijuana, understanding the consequences of cannabis dependence has become extremely important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We attempted to understand the influence of cannabis on cerebral glucose metabolism in certain predetermined regions of interest (ROIs). Furthermore, we also explored inter-regional metabolic relationships between ROIs forming the "addiction" and "cognitive dysmetria" circuit.
  
  
  METHODS
  2-fluoro, 2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) scans were carried out in 16 male patients (age: 25.3±10.38 years) with cannabis dependence, 8-12 hours after the last cannabis consumption. Resting glucose uptake in 14 pre-determined ROIs was compared with glucose uptake in 16 non-drug using volunteers (age: 29.2±8.39 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups differed in their lateral and medial temporal glucose uptakes by approximately 16-24%. The relationships between inter-regional glucose uptakes in the two circuits were compared using the Chow Test. Significant differences in inter-regional correlations in the medial temporo-frontal and parieto-thalamic were noted between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The altered metabolic relationships among various brain regions can have potentially important implications for understanding cannabis dependence and cannabis-induced psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seth GS Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Shubhangi R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Parkar
authors.forename: Seethalakshmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Shefali A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: Shilpa A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Adarkar
authors.forename: Anirudh G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.forename: Purushottam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kund
authors.forename: Nawab Singh
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Baghel