Link between Marijuana and Schizophrenia

Everyone wonders if there is a connection between schizophrenia and marijuana? Even the research has been conducted by combining both the symptoms. It has been shown that there exists a connection between schizophrenic-like symptoms and use of marijuana in people.

In 2005, a study has found many similarities between the patients affected with schizophrenia and the adolescents who are using or used marijuana. The scientists in North Shore University Hospital-Long Island Jewish Healthcare System has identified that an underdeveloped region linking the front side to the deeper regions of the brain (arcuate nucleus) in both the schizophrenia patients and the regular marijuana users. It was only underdeveloped on the left area in schizophrenia patients and marijuana users, but on both sides in those schizophrenia patients who consume marijuana.

Some of the other studies have shown that schizophrenia-like symptoms are also caused by THC. Though most of the experts do not accept this, the people with predisposition to develop schizophrenia have more chances of getting schizophrenia when they abuse marijuana. It seems to be a trigger in such people. The predisposition may be something like a family history.

A research review in April 2006 (Malik & D'Souza) provided evidence between cannabis (also known as marijuana) and psychosis. It is evident that cannabinoids are capable of causing an acute psychosis or acute temporary psychotic symptoms. Besides, cannabis can further worsen the state of psychotic individuals, who are predisposed to psychotic disorder. There are no proven evidences for the cause of persistent de novo psychosis by cannabis without association of other risk factors. Hence cannabis is more likely to be an interacting component that can cause psychosis in connection with other factors.
Therefore, when schizophrenia runs in a family, then it is essential for the people in the particular family to avoid marijuana. If a person in general, responds to marijuana usage with severe paranoia or any similar symptoms like schizophrenia, it is recommended to avoid marijuana.

In 2008, researchers in Netherlands assessed five studies and confirmed that the risk almost doubles in case of marijuana usage for developing schizophrenia. Since the reviewed studies excluded people with a psychotic history, it clearly showed the specific effects of marijuana.

Recently, a study in New York has highlighted the reason behind the cause of schizophrenia due to marijuana. Their study included various groups of adolescents. Diffusion tensor imaging, a type of MRI, was used to compare their brains either with or without schizophrenia and either users or non-users of marijuana. The results showed that heavy usage of marijuana led to similar brain abnormalities like that of schizophrenia and also these were predominantly found in schizophrenic patients who used marijuana regularly. These abnormalities normally occur in the pathway which is responsible for the auditory and language functions, which alone develops even during adolescence.
Hence the consumption of marijuana seems to cause similar damage that schizophrenia can cause and hence a person with a family history is more likely to worsen the symptoms of schizophrenia if marijuana is consumed regularly.