Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder signified by both positive and negative symptoms that include delusion, apathy, and cognitive dysfunction. Adolescence is the most affected age group. Cannabis consists of two active agents namely cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. The consumption of cannabis has repeatedly been linked to the occurrence of psychosis and subsequently, conversion into schizophrenia. The factors that affect the relationship between cannabis use and schizophrenia are dose, age of onset, gender, genetic predisposition, environmental risk, and comorbid substance use. Many structural and functional alterations occur in the central and peripheral tissues because cannabinoid receptors are stimulated that are found all over the central nervous tissues and in some peripheral tissues. Schizophrenia patients who smoke cannabis have a greater chance of recurrence and extended hospital stays, and exhibit extreme positive manifestations. On the other hand, consumption of cannabis has demonstrated a reduction in negative symptoms and improvement in cognitive performance. It diminishes psychotic symptoms and has lesser adverse effects as compared to other antipsychotic drugs. Current evidence suggests that the consumption of high potency cannabis carries a higher chance of onset and progression of schizophrenia. It is recommended to develop preventive programs to avoid the harmful impact of cannabis use in the community.
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Zainab, A., Shabbir, D., Waqar, K., Mehmood, A. (2023). Consumption of Cannabis: A Risk Factor or a Therapeutic Agent for Patients with Schizophrenia. In: Chatterjee, I. (eds) Cognizance of Schizophrenia:: A Profound Insight into the Psyche. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7022-1_15
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