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New Study Finds Schizophrenia Treatable with Cannabis

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[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]P[/dropcap]revious studies have shown a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, although there has been much disagreement on which one caused the other. According to a new study published in Nature Neuroscience, schizophrenia may lead to cannabis use, not the other way around.

A team of researchers from the International Cannabis Consortium used genetic data from 23andMe and the U.K. Biobank to identify 35 genes associated with cannabis use. The study is one of the largest genetic studies on cannabis use, using data from over 180,000 people. The study found cannabis use was closely associated with the gene known as CADM2, which has already been associated with risky behavior, personality and alcohol use.

Findings from the study bring clarity to previous studies that suggest using cannabis at a young age can cause the early manifestation of schizophrenia in people that are genetically predisposed to having the condition. The evidence from the study supports the hypothesis that people suffering from schizophrenia use cannabis as a way to self-medicate to treat their symptoms.

“Our findings may indicate that individuals at risk for developing schizophrenia may experience prodromal symptoms or negative affect that make them more likely to start using cannabis to cope or self-medicate,” the report says.

The hypothesis is further supported by evidence that cannabis may be able to effectively treat some symptoms of schizophrenia. Other studies have shown CBD may be beneficial in treating patients with schizophrenia.

The study’s authors said that despite the largest sample size to date, there are other non-genetic factors that can lead to cannabis use, such as whether cannabis is legally available and whether cannabis use is prevalent in a given area. The study also didn’t distinguish between occasional and regular use of cannabis. Although the study contradicts previous research, it doesn’t effectively end the debate and more research is required to fully understand cannabis’ effects on the brain.

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