Data from more than a million genomes (genetic composition) provide new insights into excessive cannabis use and its relationship with other diseases.
By analyzing the genomes of more than a million people, researchers have identified stretches of DNA that could be linked to cannabis addiction. They also found that some of the same regions in the genome are associated with other health problems, such as lung cancer and schizophrenia.
Cannabis addiction
The findings are evidence that marijuana addiction could have substantial public health risks as use increases,” said Daniel Levey, a medical neuroscientist at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and co-author of the study, published in Nature .
Recreational use is legal in at least eight countries, and 48 countries have legalized the drug's medicinal use for conditions such as chronic pain, cancer and epilepsy. But a third of people who use cannabis end up becoming addicted or using the drug in a way that is harmful to their health. Previous studies have suggested there is a genetic component and have shown links between problematic marijuana use and some cancers and psychiatric disorders.
Psychiatric disorders
Drug use and addiction can be influenced by both people's genes and their environment, making them extremely difficult to study, Levey says. But the team was able to build on data from previous work by incorporating genetic information from additional sources, primarily the Million Veteran Program – a US-based biobank with a large genetic database that aims to improve healthcare for former military personnel. The analysis included multiple ethnic groups, a first for a genetic study of cannabis abuse.
In addition to identifying areas in the genome that could be involved, the researchers also saw a bidirectional link between excessive cannabisuse and schizophrenia, meaning the two conditions can influence each other. This finding is intriguing, says Marta Di Forti, a psychiatrist-scientist at King's College London. Cannabis use “is the most preventable risk factor” for schizophrenia. Genetic data could be used in the future to identify and support people who are at increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders due to cannabis use.
Source: Nature.com (EN)
