Developmental sensitivity to cannabis use patterns and risk for major depressive disorder in mid-life: findings from 40 years of follow-up

Tabea Schoeler; Delphine Theobald; Jean Baptiste Pingault; David P. Farrington; Jeremy W. Coid; Sagnik Bhattacharyya

doi:10.1017/S0033291717003658

Developmental sensitivity to cannabis use patterns and risk for major depressive disorder in mid-life: findings from 40 years of follow-up

Tabea Schoeler, Delphine Theobald, Jean Baptiste Pingault, David P. Farrington, Jeremy W. Coid, Sagnik Bhattacharyya^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychosis Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and depression remain conflicting, especially as studies have not typically adopted a longitudinal design with a follow-up period that was long enough to adequately cover the risk period for onset of depression. Method: Males from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (CSDD) (N = 285) were assessed seven times from age 8 to 48 years to prospectively investigate the association between cannabis use and risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). A combination of multiple analyses (logistic regression, Cox regression, fixed-effects analysis) was employed to explore the strength and direction of effect within different developmental stages. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that early-onset cannabis use (before age 18) but not late-onset cannabis use (after age 27) was associated with a higher risk and shorter time until a subsequent MDD diagnosis. This effect was present in high-frequency [(odds ratio (OR) 8.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–70.79]; [hazard ratio (HR) 8.69, 95% CI 2.07–36.52)] and low-frequency early-onset users (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.22–4.76; HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16–3.74). Effect of increased frequency of cannabis use on increased risk of subsequent MDD was observed only for use during adolescence (age 14–18) but not at later life stages, while controlling for observed and non-unobserved time-invariant factors. Conversely, MDD in adulthood (age 18–32) was linked to a reduction in subsequent cannabis use (age 32–48). Conclusions: The present findings provide evidence implicating frequent cannabis use during adolescence as a risk factor for later life depression. Future studies should further examine causality of effects in larger samples.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Early online date	2 Apr 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717003658
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 2 Apr 2018

Keywords

Cannabis
depression
developmental sensitivity
major depressive disorder
risk

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1017/S0033291717003658

Cite this

@article{ed1ea9d939ff4058bbaf86c4c468e080,

title = "Developmental sensitivity to cannabis use patterns and risk for major depressive disorder in mid-life: findings from 40 years of follow-up",

abstract = "Background: Evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and depression remain conflicting, especially as studies have not typically adopted a longitudinal design with a follow-up period that was long enough to adequately cover the risk period for onset of depression. Method: Males from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (CSDD) (N = 285) were assessed seven times from age 8 to 48 years to prospectively investigate the association between cannabis use and risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). A combination of multiple analyses (logistic regression, Cox regression, fixed-effects analysis) was employed to explore the strength and direction of effect within different developmental stages. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that early-onset cannabis use (before age 18) but not late-onset cannabis use (after age 27) was associated with a higher risk and shorter time until a subsequent MDD diagnosis. This effect was present in high-frequency [(odds ratio (OR) 8.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–70.79]; [hazard ratio (HR) 8.69, 95% CI 2.07–36.52)] and low-frequency early-onset users (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.22–4.76; HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16–3.74). Effect of increased frequency of cannabis use on increased risk of subsequent MDD was observed only for use during adolescence (age 14–18) but not at later life stages, while controlling for observed and non-unobserved time-invariant factors. Conversely, MDD in adulthood (age 18–32) was linked to a reduction in subsequent cannabis use (age 32–48). Conclusions: The present findings provide evidence implicating frequent cannabis use during adolescence as a risk factor for later life depression. Future studies should further examine causality of effects in larger samples.",

keywords = "Cannabis, depression, developmental sensitivity, major depressive disorder, risk",

author = "Tabea Schoeler and Delphine Theobald and Pingault, {Jean Baptiste} and Farrington, {David P.} and Coid, {Jeremy W.} and Sagnik Bhattacharyya",

year = "2018",

month = apr,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1017/S0033291717003658",

language = "English",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

issn = "0033-2917",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developmental sensitivity to cannabis use patterns and risk for major depressive disorder in mid-life

T2 - findings from 40 years of follow-up

AU - Schoeler, Tabea

AU - Theobald, Delphine

AU - Pingault, Jean Baptiste

AU - Farrington, David P.

AU - Coid, Jeremy W.

AU - Bhattacharyya, Sagnik

PY - 2018/4/2

Y1 - 2018/4/2

N2 - Background: Evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and depression remain conflicting, especially as studies have not typically adopted a longitudinal design with a follow-up period that was long enough to adequately cover the risk period for onset of depression. Method: Males from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (CSDD) (N = 285) were assessed seven times from age 8 to 48 years to prospectively investigate the association between cannabis use and risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). A combination of multiple analyses (logistic regression, Cox regression, fixed-effects analysis) was employed to explore the strength and direction of effect within different developmental stages. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that early-onset cannabis use (before age 18) but not late-onset cannabis use (after age 27) was associated with a higher risk and shorter time until a subsequent MDD diagnosis. This effect was present in high-frequency [(odds ratio (OR) 8.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–70.79]; [hazard ratio (HR) 8.69, 95% CI 2.07–36.52)] and low-frequency early-onset users (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.22–4.76; HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16–3.74). Effect of increased frequency of cannabis use on increased risk of subsequent MDD was observed only for use during adolescence (age 14–18) but not at later life stages, while controlling for observed and non-unobserved time-invariant factors. Conversely, MDD in adulthood (age 18–32) was linked to a reduction in subsequent cannabis use (age 32–48). Conclusions: The present findings provide evidence implicating frequent cannabis use during adolescence as a risk factor for later life depression. Future studies should further examine causality of effects in larger samples.

AB - Background: Evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and depression remain conflicting, especially as studies have not typically adopted a longitudinal design with a follow-up period that was long enough to adequately cover the risk period for onset of depression. Method: Males from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (CSDD) (N = 285) were assessed seven times from age 8 to 48 years to prospectively investigate the association between cannabis use and risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). A combination of multiple analyses (logistic regression, Cox regression, fixed-effects analysis) was employed to explore the strength and direction of effect within different developmental stages. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that early-onset cannabis use (before age 18) but not late-onset cannabis use (after age 27) was associated with a higher risk and shorter time until a subsequent MDD diagnosis. This effect was present in high-frequency [(odds ratio (OR) 8.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–70.79]; [hazard ratio (HR) 8.69, 95% CI 2.07–36.52)] and low-frequency early-onset users (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.22–4.76; HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16–3.74). Effect of increased frequency of cannabis use on increased risk of subsequent MDD was observed only for use during adolescence (age 14–18) but not at later life stages, while controlling for observed and non-unobserved time-invariant factors. Conversely, MDD in adulthood (age 18–32) was linked to a reduction in subsequent cannabis use (age 32–48). Conclusions: The present findings provide evidence implicating frequent cannabis use during adolescence as a risk factor for later life depression. Future studies should further examine causality of effects in larger samples.

KW - Cannabis

KW - depression

KW - developmental sensitivity

KW - major depressive disorder

KW - risk

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044735060&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291717003658

DO - 10.1017/S0033291717003658

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85044735060

SN - 0033-2917

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

ER -

Developmental sensitivity to cannabis use patterns and risk for major depressive disorder in mid-life: findings from 40 years of follow-up

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this