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. 2024 Nov 22;54(15):1-11.
doi: 10.1017/S0033291724001715. Online ahead of print.

Cannabis use and cognitive biases in people with first-episode psychosis and their siblings

L Roldan  1 , T Sánchez-Gutiérrez  2 , I Fernández-Arias  1 , E Rodríguez-Toscano  3 , G López  4 , J Merchán-Naranjo  4 , A Calvo  1 , M Rapado-Castro  4   5 , M Parellada  4 , C Moreno  4 , L Ferraro  6 , D La Barbera  6 , C La Cascia  6 , G Tripoli  6 , M Di Forti  7   8 , R M Murray  9 , D Quattrone  7 , C Morgan  8   10 , C Gayer-Anderson  10 , P B Jones  11 , H E Jongsma  11 , J B Kirkbride  12 , J van Os  9   13   14 , P García-Portilla  15 , S Al-Halabí  16 , J Bobes  15 , L de Haan  17 , M Bernardo  18 , J L Santos  19 , J Sanjuán  20 , M Arrojo  21 , A Szoke  22   23 , B P Rutten  13 , S A Stilo  9   24 , I Tarricone  25 , A Lasalvia  26 , S Tosato  27 , P-M Llorca  27 , P Rossi Menezes  28 , J-P Selten  13 , A Tortelli  29 , E Velthorst  30 , C M Del-Ben  31 , C Arango  4 , C M Díaz-Caneja  4
Affiliations

Cannabis use and cognitive biases in people with first-episode psychosis and their siblings

L Roldan et al. Psychol Med. .

Abstract

Background: Cannabis use and familial vulnerability to psychosis have been associated with social cognition deficits. This study examined the potential relationship between cannabis use and cognitive biases underlying social cognition and functioning in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), their siblings, and controls.

Methods: We analyzed a sample of 543 participants with FEP, 203 siblings, and 1168 controls from the EU-GEI study using a correlational design. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of clinical group, lifetime cannabis use frequency, and potency of cannabis use on cognitive biases, accounting for demographic and cognitive variables.

Results: FEP patients showed increased odds of facial recognition processing (FRP) deficits (OR = 1.642, CI 1.123-2.402) relative to controls but not of speech illusions (SI) or jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias, with no statistically significant differences relative to siblings. Daily and occasional lifetime cannabis use were associated with decreased odds of SI (OR = 0.605, CI 0.368-0.997 and OR = 0.646, CI 0.457-0.913 respectively) and JTC bias (OR = 0.625, CI 0.422-0.925 and OR = 0.602, CI 0.460-0.787 respectively) compared with lifetime abstinence, but not with FRP deficits, in the whole sample. Within the cannabis user group, low-potency cannabis use was associated with increased odds of SI (OR = 1.829, CI 1.297-2.578, FRP deficits (OR = 1.393, CI 1.031-1.882, and JTC (OR = 1.661, CI 1.271-2.171) relative to high-potency cannabis use, with comparable effects in the three clinical groups.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest increased odds of cognitive biases in FEP patients who have never used cannabis and in low-potency users. Future studies should elucidate this association and its potential implications.

Keywords: aberrance salience; cannabis; cognition; facial recognition; jumping to conclusions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Celso Arango has been a consultant to or has received honoraria or grants from Acadia, Angelini, Gedeon Richter, Janssen Cilag, Lundbeck, Minerva, Otsuka, Roche, Sage, Servier, Shire, Schering Plough, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Sunovion and Takeda. Miquel Bernardo has been a consultant for, received grant/research support and honoraria from, and been on the speakers/advisory board of ABBiotics, Adamed, Angelini, Casen Recordati, Janssen-Cilag, Menarini, Rovi and Takeda. Covadonga M. Díaz-Caneja has received honoraria from Angelini and support to attend conferences from Janssen and Angelini. Peter B. Jones declares grant support from NIHR (0616-20003) and consulted for MSD. Carmen Moreno has received honoraria as a consultant and/or advisor and/or for lectures from Angelini, Esteve, Exeltis Janssen, Lundbeck, Neuraxpharm, Nuvelution, Otsuka, Pfizer, Servier and Sunovion outside the submitted work.

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