Summary: A study investigated how cannabis use influences metabolomic patterns linked to psychotic-like experiences in adolescents. Blood samples revealed that non-cannabis users showed inflammatory metabolic changes associated with hallucinations, while cannabis users exhibited shifts in energy-related metabolites tied to brain ketogenesis.
These findings suggest that cannabis use may trigger distinct molecular pathways in psychotic-like experiences. Researchers also identified unique metabolomic patterns related to different symptom dimensions, such as paranoia and dissociation.
While preliminary, the study offers insights into tailored approaches for understanding and treating psychiatric conditions. The results highlight the potential of precision psychiatry to uncover the biological underpinnings of mental health disorders.
Key Facts:
- Cannabis users and non-users show different metabolomic patterns linked to psychotic-like experiences.
- Non-users displayed inflammatory changes, while cannabis users exhibited energy metabolism shifts.
- Findings suggest unique metabolic signatures for specific psychotic symptom dimensions.
Source: University of Eastern Finland
An exploratory study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland has examined metabolomic patterns associated with psychotic-like experiences in adolescents, highlighting the influence of cannabis use.
These findings suggest that specific metabolite patterns associated with psychotic-like experiences may vary between cannabis users and non-users, potentially reflecting different underlying molecular pathways in psychotic-like experiences.
The study analysed blood samples from 76 adolescent outpatients experiencing depression, using mass spectrometry to assess metabolite concentrations. The researchers identified variations in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress, specifically in relation to hallucinations.
Interestingly, among adolescents who did not use cannabis, these experiences also correlated with inflammatory metabolic changes. In contrast, cannabis-related alterations were primarily tied to metabolites involved in alternative energy pathways in the brain, particularly those related to ketogenesis.
Although these findings are preliminary, they suggest molecular differences in the psychotic-like experiences of adolescents with and without a history of cannabis use.
The results were published in Translational Psychiatry.
“It appears that different metabolomic changes are associated with psychotic-like experiences if the person has used cannabis,” notes Karoliina Kurkinen, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland and the first author of the study.
“These alterations don’t necessarily indicate future psychosis or a psychotic disorder. However, it will be interesting to see if these early metabolomic changes correlate with different psychiatric conditions later in life.”
The study also identified unique metabolomic patterns associated with specific dimensions of psychotic-like experiences, such as delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, negative symptoms, thought disorders and dissociation.
These findings encourage a re-evaluation of how psychiatry categorises symptoms, suggesting that distinct symptom dimensions could be linked to unique metabolic signatures.
In the future, the team aims to conduct a similar study with a larger sample size, along with follow-up and registry-based analyses to track psychiatric diagnoses over time.
“We are only scratching the surface of what’s possible in this area of research,” Kurkinen says. “Future studies focusing on symptom dimensions and distinct biological pathways could greatly advance precision psychiatry and improve our understanding of psychiatric disorders.”
About this CUD and neurodevelopment research news
Author: Maj Vuorre
Source: University of Eastern Finland
Contact: Maj Vuorre – University of Eastern Finland
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“An exploratory study of metabolomics in endogenous and cannabis-use-associated psychotic-like experiences in adolescence” by Karoliina Kurkinen et al. Translational Psychiatry
Abstract
An exploratory study of metabolomics in endogenous and cannabis-use-associated psychotic-like experiences in adolescence
In adolescence, psychotic-like experiences (PLE) may indicate potential prodromal symptoms preceding the onset of psychosis. Metabolomic studies have shown promise in providing valuable insights into predicting psychosis with enhanced precision compared to conventional clinical features.
This study investigated metabolomic alterations associated with PLE in 76 depressed adolescents aged 14–20 years. Serum concentrations of 92 metabolites were analyzed with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. PLE were assessed using the Youth Experiences and Health (YEAH) questionnaire.
The associations between PLE symptom dimensions (delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, negative symptoms, thought disorder, and dissociation) and metabolite concentrations were analyzed in linear regression models adjusted for different covariates.
The symptom dimensions consistently correlated with the metabolome in different models, except those adjusted for cannabis use.
Specifically, the hallucination dimension was associated with 13 metabolites (acetoacetic acid, allantoin, asparagine, decanoylcarnitine, D-glucuronic acid, guanidinoacetic acid, hexanoylcarnitine, homogentisic acid, leucine, NAD+, octanoylcarnitine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and valine) in the various linear models.
However, when adjusting for cannabis use, eight metabolites were associated with hallucinations (adenine, AMP, cAMP, chenodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid, L-kynurenine, neopterin, and D-ribose-5-phosphate).
The results suggest diverse mechanisms underlying PLE in adolescence; hallucinatory experiences may be linked to inflammatory functions, while cannabis use may engage an alternative metabolic pathway related to increased energy demand and ketogenesis in inducing PLE.
The limited sample of individuals with depression restricts the generalizability of these findings.
Future research should explore whether various experiences and related metabolomic changes jointly predict the onset of psychoses and related disorders.
