Neurological Soft Signs in Cannabis Use Disorder with or without Psychosis: A Comparative Study from India

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a prevalent condition with potential neurological consequences.
• The presence and extent of neurological soft signs in CUD, particularly concerning co-occurring psychosis, require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare neurological soft signs in individuals with CUD, with and without co-occurring non-affective psychosis.
• To establish a baseline of neurological soft signs in a treatment-seeking CUD population.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving three groups: CUD without psychosis, CUD with non-affective psychosis, and healthy controls.
• Assessment of neurological soft signs using the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES).
• Utilized additional scales to evaluate dependence, positive and negative symptoms, and abnormal movements in relevant groups.

Main Results:

• Patients with CUD, both with and without co-occurring non-affective psychosis, exhibited significantly higher total NES scores compared to healthy controls.
• No significant differences in neurological soft signs were found between CUD patients with and without co-occurring non-affective psychosis.
• Elevated scores in motor incoordination, complex motor task sequencing, and sensory integration subdomains were observed in CUD groups.

Conclusions:

• Neurological soft sign impairment is a characteristic of CUD, persisting even in the absence of psychosis.
• Findings suggest a potential interaction between cannabinoids and neural pathways associated with schizophrenia.