Introducing the ASI-NPI project: preliminary analysis of a study exploring the role of cannabis, salience alterations and youth in determining psychotic symptoms severity
Ottone Baccaredda Boy, Giuseppe Pierpaolo Merola, Andrea Patti, Isotta Fascina, Bernardo Bozza, Dario Flaccomio, Marco Faldi, Giulia Pitt, Luca Papini, C. Ricci, Vincenzo Pecoraro, Andrea Ballerini, Valdo Ricca, F. Mauceri, Simone Tavano, Giulio Peroni, Sara Gori, Tiziana Pisano, David Cohen, Francesco de Cesaris
Research Square November 20, 2023 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3615804/v1 via OpenAlex
Summary
Adolescents reported more severe psychotic symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale than adults, while no significant difference was found in cannabis exposure or Aberrant Salience Inventory scores. A hierarchical pattern emerged among adult subgroups, with psychotic patients scoring higher than other psychiatric and neurological patients. The findings suggest that aberrant salience, and to a lesser degree cannabis use, may contribute to psychotic symptom severity, particularly during more at-risk developmental phases. The role of cannabis in this relationship remains unclear.
Study at a glance
| Design | cross-sectional study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 64 |
| Population | adolescent and adult patients from psychiatric and neurologic units |
| Key finding | Adolescents reported more severe psychotic symptoms than adults, but no significant difference in cannabis exposure or aberrant salience was observed between age groups. |
Abstract
Abstract the present paper describes the preliminary results of a study centered on the effect of salience alterations and cannabis use on the intensity of psychotic symptoms in adolescent and adult cohorts. The exploratory analysis focused on cross-sectional scores at psychometric questionnaires of 64 participants allocated to 4 different subgroups. A hierarchical pattern in the psychopathology measures was observed in the adult subgroups, with Psychotic patients scoring higher in several domains than other patients from the Psychiatric and Neurologic Units; in turn, adolescents reported a more severe intensity of psychotic symptoms at the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale subscales (p-value: < 0.05) when compared to adult one, while no significant difference was observed in cannabis exposure or Aberrant Salience Inventory scores (p-value: 0.22). These results suggest that aberrant salience and, to a lesser degree, cannabis use might play a role in determining psychotic symptoms severity, especially in more at-risk life phases. Public Significance Statement : the present study displays how salience alterations in younger patients might lead to intensified psychotic symptoms, while exploring parallel psychopathological domains and explaining the layout of a wider project. The role of cannabis use in this equation is still to be clarified.