Endocannabinoid System may provide a target for schizophrenia treatment

Association of smoked cannabis with treatment resistance in schizophrenia

A recent study conducted in Pakistan revealed that the endocannabinoid system may provide a target for novel schizophrenia treatments. Patients in the study who self-reported cannabis use, either acute or chronic, were more likely to show resistance to treatment. Schizophrenia is notoriously difficult to treat in general as the exact underlying mechanism is unknown, but the correlation between cannabis use and treatment resistance suggests that the endocannabinoid system plays a role in the biological processes of schizophrenia. Further research into the relationship between schizophrenia and the endocannabinoid system.

This study highlights the amount of information that can be gained from open communication between patients and physicians. In the United States, there is a stigma surrounding cannabis use that frequently prevents users from speaking out despite the possible negative effects. The featured study relied on self-reporting use, which is an inconsistent and unreliable measure, but it gave the researchers a foundation that may spur future use. Open communication, in a general sense even beyond cannabis use, will only benefit researchers and patient outcomes.