Association of cannabis use with neurocognition in adolescents with bipolar disorder

Alysha A Sultan; Megan Mio; Mikaela K Dimick; Yi Zou; Sudhir Karthikeyan; Nathan Kolla; Krista Lanctot; Martin Zack; Benjamin I Goldstein

doi:10.1177/02698811231187128

Association of cannabis use with neurocognition in adolescents with bipolar disorder

J Psychopharmacol. 2023 Sep;37(9):920-927. doi: 10.1177/02698811231187128. Epub 2023 Jul 27.

Authors

Alysha A Sultan^{1

2}, Megan Mio^{1

2}, Mikaela K Dimick^{1

2}, Yi Zou¹, Sudhir Karthikeyan², Nathan Kolla^{2

3

4}, Krista Lanctot^{3

5

6}, Martin Zack^{2

3

5}, Benjamin I Goldstein^{1

3

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 37497695
DOI: 10.1177/02698811231187128

Abstract

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) and cannabis use are each associated with neurocognitive deficits in adolescents. However, little is known regarding the association of neurocognition with cannabis use among adolescents with BD. Therefore, we examined this topic in a sample of adolescents with BD and healthy control (HC) adolescents.

Methods: Participants included 121 adolescents (n = 32 with BD and lifetime cannabis use (BD_CB+), n = 31 with BD and no lifetime cannabis use (BD_CB-), n = 58 HC with no lifetime cannabis use), aged 14-20 years. Five neurocognitive subtests of the computerized CANTAB battery were assessed. Groups were compared using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) covarying for age, sex, and intelligence quotient.

Results: The three groups differed significantly on tests of visuospatial working memory (F = 4.41, p = 0.014, $η_{p}^{2} = 0.07$ ) and sustained attention (F = 5.15, p = 0.007, $η_{p}^{2} = 0.08$ ). Post hoc analyses revealed working memory scores were significantly worse in BD_CB+ versus HC (p = 0.04, d = 0.59), and sustained attention was significantly worse in BD_CB- versus HC (p = 0.006, d = 0.70).

Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that cannabis use among adolescents with BD is associated with working memory deficits. Future studies in larger samples are warranted to evaluate causation versus predisposition to cannabis use, and to evaluate duration, quantity, and potency of cannabis on neurocognition among adolescents with BD.

Keywords: Cannabis; adolescents; bipolar disorder; cognition.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention
Bipolar Disorder* / complications
Bipolar Disorder* / psychology
Cannabis* / adverse effects
Humans
Memory Disorders
Memory, Short-Term
Neuropsychological Tests

Grants and funding

MOP-119525/CIHR/Canada