Yale Scientists Find Genetic Link To Cannabis Use Disorder In Large Genome Study

A new analysis of the genomes of more than 1 million people brings insights into the connections between genes and cannabis user disorder (CUD), reported Yale News. 

Researchers examined a genome-wide set of genetic variants in individuals from multiple ancestry groups enrolled in the VA’s Million Veteran Program, one of the world’s largest genetic databases, and incorporated additional information from several other genomic databases. They were then able to identify dozens of genetic variants linked to cannabis use disorder and a variety of behavioral and health issues associated with it.

The study was published Monday in the Journal Nature Genetics and led by Daniel Levey, assistant professor of psychiatry and Joel Gelernter, the Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and professor of genetics and neuroscience. 

“This is the largest genome-wide study of cannabis use disorder ever conducted and as more states legalize or decriminalize the use of marijuana, such studies can help us to understand the public health risks that accompany its increased use,” Gelernter said.

Study Highlights 

Researchers found that variants of genes that encode for three different types of receptors on neurons were associated with elevated risk for developing cannabis use disorder. The findings provide insights into the genetic factors that underlie this phenomenon and other potentially related health risks.

• While they also discovered that these variants are connected with the development of lung cancer, the authors highlighted that more research is needed to separate the impacts of tobacco smoking and environmental factors from those of cannabis use. 
• Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Sangharsh Lohakare on Unsplash and Gordon Johnson on Pixabay