Introduction: Cannabis use disorders are global emerging problem nowadays, with high prevalence and morbidity. Though cognitive impairments are one of the most replicated findings in individuals with Cannabis dependence, but there are very few studies assessed cognitive functioning as a risk factor for Cannabis use disorder. In this study, we assessed cognitive functioning as an end phenotype in Cannabis use disorders.
Methodology: In this study comparison of cognitive functioning was done among three groups-patients with Cannabis dependence syndrome, their First Degree Relative (FDR) and normal Healthy Controls (HC). Each group included 30 participants. Individuals of all three groups were assessed in domains of complex attention, executive functions, language, learning and memory and perceptual motor.
Results: Performance of patients with Cannabis dependence was impaired in attention, verbal memory, executive functions compared to both other groups. Attention, semantic verbal fluency and memory were found to be an end phenotype as both patient and FDR group performed poorly than HC group. Verbal memory was impaired in patients’ group compared to group of first degree relatives, whose performance in-turn impaired than normal healthy controls. Performances of verbal and visual memory were correlated positively with age of onset and negatively with frequency of Cannabis intake. Age of first degree relatives was inversely correlated with verbal memory.
Conclusion: Performance of individuals with Cannabis dependence was impaired than normal healthy controls in all domains of cognitive functioning. As per definition, verbal memory could be considered as an end phenotype marker in Cannabis use disorders.
Published Date: 2023-04-24; Received Date: 2023-02-15
