History of cannabis use is not associated with alterations in striatal dopamine D 2 /D 3 receptor availability
Abstract
Cannabis use in adolescence is emerging as a risk factor for the development of psychosis. In animal studies, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, modulates striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. Alterations in human striatal dopaminergic function have also been reported both in psychosis and in stimulant use. We sought to examine whether striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability was altered in volunteers with a history of cannabis use using a database of previously acquired [(11)C]-raclopride positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Ten [(11)C]-raclopride scans from volunteers with a history of cannabis use were compared to ten control scans using a functional striatal subdivision region of interest (ROI) analysis. No significant differences in either overall striatal BP(ND) values or BP(ND) values in any functional striatal subdivision were found between the two groups. There was also no correlation between lifetime frequency of cannabis use and BP(ND) values. Limbic striatal BP(ND) values were ten percent lower in current nicotine cigarette smokers. These findings suggest that, unlike other drugs of abuse, a history of cannabis use is not associated with alterations in striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability.
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Studies of cannabis abuse have not shown the same decrease in D2 receptor binding.
“Notably, studies of cannabis abuse have not shown this same decrease in D2 receptor binding (Albrecht et al., 2013b; Sevy et al., 2008; Stokes et al., 2012; Urban et al., 2012).”
From Imaging addiction: D2 receptors and dopamine signaling in the striatum as biomarkers for impulsivity (2014) · cites this paper as Stokes et al., 2012
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- Authors
- Stokes, P. R., Egerton, A., Watson, B., Reid, A., Lappin, J., Howes, O. D., Nutt, D. J., & Lingford-Hughes, A. R.
- Affiliations
- Imperial College London (GB)
- King's College London (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Psychopharmacology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2011-09-02
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 144-149
- ISSN
- 0269-8811 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7285
- OpenAlex
- W1966914364
- Cited by
- 63
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 6.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- cannabis use, receptor availability, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, psychosis risk, adolescent cannabis use, limbic striatum, dopamine signaling
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Cannabis, Marijuana Abuse, Carbon Isotopes, Corpus Striatum, Female, Humans, Limbic System, Male, Synaptic Transmission, Nicotine, Psychotic Disorders, Receptors, Dopamine D2, Raclopride, Positron-Emission Tomography, Receptors, Dopamine D3
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