Cannabis and Other Illicit Drug Use: A Twin Study

说明(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的潜在健康影响，并日益认识到大麻依赖是一种独特的临床实体，因此，重新提交以前审查的一项申请寻求资金，以开展一项提供遗传信息的研究，以评估大麻使用障碍、大麻的发展阶段和升级以及大麻使用障碍的发展，以及与大麻使用有关的心理健康问题，包括升级为使用其他药物。 该项目将采访6600名澳大利亚年轻成年双胞胎的样本，采用结构化访谈的方式，评估大麻和其他药物使用和使用障碍的终身史，以及物质使用和心理健康的相关方面。具体目标是： 目的1：研究早期使用大麻与使用其他药物(可卡因、安非他明、海洛因和其他类阿片类药物、镇静剂、致幻剂、摇头丸)和药物滥用/依赖之间的联系(遗传或环境)。 目的2：在提供遗传信息的研究设计的背景下，评估大麻使用障碍评估的心理测量学特性；并检查早期发病的大麻使用可能在多大程度上通过遗传机制与环境机制与滥用/依赖的特定组成部分有不同的联系。 目的3：审查早期使用大麻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想的社会因素来解释，包括接触的机会和开始使用大麻时同伴关系的性质(回顾报告)。 目的4：探讨大麻使用与依赖和常见精神健康问题的其他措施(严重抑郁障碍、持续自杀意念、自杀企图)之间的联系(遗传或环境)，特别是审查持续或不断增加的大麻使用可能在多大程度上加剧先前存在的精神健康问题。

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.