Cognitive functioning and cannabis use in first-episode psychosis

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Neuroscience
• Addiction Research
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Cannabis use is prevalent among individuals with psychotic disorders, yet its precise impact on cognition in this population remains incompletely understood.
• Investigating the relationship between cannabis consumption and cognitive deficits is crucial for understanding the trajectory of psychotic disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between a history of cannabis use and cognitive functioning in patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis (FEP).
• To assess how cannabis use influences neurocognition and social cognition over a 12-month follow-up period in FEP patients.

Main Methods:

• The study included 91 FEP patients and 61 controls, assessing cannabis use via questionnaires, clinical evaluation, and medical records.
• Cognitive performance was evaluated using neurocognitive tests (g factor) and social cognition assessments, alongside measures of psychosis, negative, and anxiety symptoms.

Main Results:

• In FEP patients, a history of never using cannabis was linked to a better neurocognitive profile at 12 months.
• More severe anxiety symptoms correlated with better neurocognition at two months, while less severe negative symptoms predicted better neurocognition at 12 months.
• Cannabis use history did not show a significant association with social cognition in FEP patients, nor did it correlate with cognitive performance in the control group.

Conclusions:

• The severity of negative and affective symptoms in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients demonstrated a more substantial association with cognitive performance than a lifetime history of cannabis use.
• Clinical symptom management may be a more critical factor in improving cognitive outcomes for FEP patients than addressing cannabis use history alone.