Cannabis and Other Illicit Drug Use: A Twin Study

描述（申请人提供）：鉴于大麻的广泛使用，人们日益认识到这种药物对健康的潜在影响，并日益认识到大麻依赖是一种独特的临床实体，重新提交以前审查过的申请寻求资助，以进行一项评估大麻使用障碍的遗传信息研究，大麻的发展阶段和升级以及大麻使用障碍的发展，以及大麻使用的心理健康相关因素，包括升级到使用其他药物。 该项目将使用结构化访谈对6，600名澳大利亚年轻成年双胞胎进行访谈，评估大麻和其他药物使用和使用障碍的终身史，以及药物使用和心理健康的相关方面。具体目标是： 目标1：审查大麻的早期使用与其他药物（可卡因、安非他明、海洛因和其他类阿片、镇静剂、致幻剂、摇头丸）使用和药物滥用/依赖之间的联系（遗传或环境）。 目标2：在遗传信息研究设计的背景下，评估大麻使用障碍评估的心理测量学特性;并检查早发性大麻使用可能通过遗传机制与环境机制与滥用/依赖的特定组成部分差异相关的程度。 目标3：研究早期大麻使用与随后的非法药物使用和滥用/依赖之间的明显联系是否可以通过假设的社会因素来解释，包括开始使用大麻时的接触机会和同伴关系的性质（回顾性报告）。 目标4：探讨大麻使用和依赖性与常见精神健康问题（重度抑郁症、持续性自杀意念、自杀企图）的其他衡量标准之间的联系（遗传或环境），特别是研究持续或不断增加的大麻使用可能会加剧预先存在的精神健康问题的程度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Given the widespread use of cannabis, increasing recognition of the potential health effects of this drug and a growing recognition of cannabis dependence as a distinct clinical entity, this resubmission of a previously reviewed application seeks funding to conduct a genetically informative research study of the assessment of cannabis use disorders, stages of development in and escalation of cannabis and the development of cannabis use disorders, and the mental health correlates of cannabis use, including escalation to the use of other drugs. The project will interview a sample of 6,600 young adult Australian twins using a structured interview assessing lifetime history of cannabis and other drug use and use disorders, and related aspects of substance use and mental health. Specific aims are: AIM 1: To examine the links (genetic or environmental) between early cannabis use and escalation both to the use of other drugs (cocaine, amphetamines, heroin and other opioids, sedatives, hallucinogens, ecstasy) and to drug abuse/ dependence. AIM 2: To assess the psychometric properties of an assessment of cannabis use disorders within the context of a genetically informative research design; and to examine the extent to which early onset cannabis use may be differentially associated with specific components of abuse/ dependence via genetic versus environmental mechanisms. AIM 3: To examine whether apparent links between early cannabis use and subsequent illicit drug use and abuse/ dependence can be explained by hypothesized social factors including exposure opportunity and the nature of peer affiliations at the time of initiation to cannabis use (reported retrospectively). AIM 4: To explore the links (genetic or environmental) between cannabis use and dependence and other measures of common mental health problems (major depressive disorder, persistent suicidal ideation, suicide attempt) and, in particular, to examine the extent to which continued or escalating cannabis use may exacerbate pre-existing mental health problems.