A regulatory variant of CHRM3 is associated with cannabis-induced hallucinations in European Americans
Translational Psychiatry November 18, 2019 Zhongshan Cheng, Chureerat Phokaew, Yi-Ling Chou et al. 4 citations
A genome-wide association study of long-term cannabis users identified a significant signal at the CHRM3 gene linked to cannabis-induced hallucinations. The strongest association was found in European Americans, with the lead SNP rs115455482 reaching genome-wide significance. The risk allele was associated with lower CHRM3 expression in the thalamus, and CHRM3 was co-expressed with three psychosis risk genes in brain tissues. Findings did not replicate in an independent sample, though meta-analysis strengthened the association. No significant signals were found in African Americans. The results suggest CHRM3 may contribute to cannabis-induced hallucinations and point to the thalamus's potential role.