The relationship between recreational cannabis use, psychotic-like experiences, and the salience network in adolescent and young adult twins.

Abstract

Background: The use of cannabis in adolescence and early adulthood, critical phases for brain development, is linked to psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The underlying mechanisms, however, remain unclear. This research examined the relationship between recreational cannabis use and PLEs, emphasizing the connectivity of the salience network (SN), which plays a role in salience processing and psychosis. To determine whether this relationship reflects shared genetic or environmental contributions, twin modeling was used.

Methods: We included 232 healthy adolescent Turkish twins who underwent diffusion MRI and psychometric assessment. SN connectivity was quantified using graph theory metrics. Linear mixed models were used to examine the associations among cannabis use, SN factors, and PLEs. Mediation analyses assessed whether SN parameters explained the cannabis-PLEs association. Twin models disentangle genetic and environmental contributions to these traits and their covariation.

Results: Cannabis use was significantly associated with higher overall PLE frequency. A specific SN factor predicted both total and positive PLEs. However, SN connectivity did not mediate the cannabis-PLEs relationship. Twin modeling showed that cannabis use and PLEs were mainly influenced by unique environmental factors. No significant phenotypic covariations were found among cannabis use, PLEs, and SN parameters.

Conclusions: Recreational cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with heightened PLEs, although this association is not mediated by SN connectivity. The environment plays an important role during adolescence in shaping these traits independently. The findings underscore the need for longitudinal and genetically informed studies to clarify the mental health effects of adolescent cannabis use.