AIMS: The aim of the study was to examine the temporal associations between substance use and subclinical psychosis symptoms. DESIGN: Data from a prospective community study sampled within a single cohort over 30 years (1978-2008) were analysed with discrete-time hazard models. SETTING: General population-based sample. PARTICIPANTS: At initial sampling in 1978 males (n = 292) were 19 and females (n = 299) were 20 years old. MEASUREMENTS: Two psychosis syndromes representing 'schizotypal signs' and 'schizophrenia nuclear symptoms' and various substance use variables including cannabis, alcohol, tobacco and multiple-drug use (i.e. cannabis combined with other drugs). FINDINGS: In bivariate analyses, schizotypal signs were predominantly associated with regular cannabis use in adolescence (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.32-3.97). Schizophrenia nuclear symptoms were mainly related to alcohol (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.00-3.38) and multiple-drug use (OR = 2.35, 95% CI 1.38-4.02) during adolescence. Multivariate analyses showed that, in particular, regular cannabis use during adolescence was associated with the occurrence of subsequent schizotypal symptoms over a 30-year period (OR = 2.60, 95% CI; 1.59-4.23), whereas multiple-drug use in adolescence was associated predominantly with schizophrenia nuclear symptoms (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.01-3.03). Alcohol misuse was only slightly associated with the onset of such symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A significant portion of the occurrence of subclinical psychosis symptoms in adulthood can be attributed to excessive cannabis and multiple-drug use during adolescence. This is in line with the hypothesis that long-term sensitization of dopaminergic brain receptors plays a role in developing psychotic symptoms.
AIMS: The aim of the study was to examine the temporal associations between substance use and subclinical psychosis symptoms. DESIGN: Data from a prospective community study sampled within a single cohort over 30 years (1978-2008) were analysed with discrete-time hazard models. SETTING: General population-based sample. PARTICIPANTS: At initial sampling in 1978 males (n = 292) were 19 and females (n = 299) were 20 years old. MEASUREMENTS: Two psychosis syndromes representing 'schizotypal signs' and 'schizophrenia nuclear symptoms' and various substance use variables including cannabis, alcohol, tobacco and multiple-drug use (i.e. cannabis combined with other drugs). FINDINGS: In bivariate analyses, schizotypal signs were predominantly associated with regular cannabis use in adolescence (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.32-3.97). Schizophrenia nuclear symptoms were mainly related to alcohol (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.00-3.38) and multiple-drug use (OR = 2.35, 95% CI 1.38-4.02) during adolescence. Multivariate analyses showed that, in particular, regular cannabis use during adolescence was associated with the occurrence of subsequent schizotypal symptoms over a 30-year period (OR = 2.60, 95% CI; 1.59-4.23), whereas multiple-drug use in adolescence was associated predominantly with schizophrenia nuclear symptoms (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.01-3.03). Alcohol misuse was only slightly associated with the onset of such symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A significant portion of the occurrence of subclinical psychosis symptoms in adulthood can be attributed to excessive cannabis and multiple-drug use during adolescence. This is in line with the hypothesis that long-term sensitization of dopaminergic brain receptors plays a role in developing psychotic symptoms.
Authors: William V Lechner; Jennifer Dahne; Kevin W Chen; Alison Pickover; Jessica M Richards; Stacey B Daughters; C W Lejuez Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2013-01-03 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: W Rössler; V Ajdacic-Gross; H Haker; S Rodgers; M Müller; M P Hengartner Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2013-11-26 Impact factor: 6.892