Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome Occurs in Almost Half of Regular Users
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by researcher Anees Bahji and colleagues in the open access medical journal JAMA Network Open describes the symptoms and prevalence of cannabis withdrawal syndrome.
The most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) indicates that cannabis withdrawal syndrome “requires the presence of at least 3 of the following symptoms developing within 7 days of reduced cannabis use: (1) irritability, anger, or aggression; (2) nervousness or anxiety; (3) sleep disturbance; (4) appetite or weight disturbance; (5) restlessness; (6) depressed mood; and (7) somatic symptoms, such as headaches, sweating, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.”
According to Bahji and colleagues, cannabis withdrawal syndrome occurred in 47% of regular users. Higher rates of withdrawal were found among those in clinical settings, those who also used tobacco or other substances, and those who used cannabis daily.
Bahji and colleagues write that while many people believe that cannabis is relatively harmless, it actually has a variety of associated risks. Short-term risks include impaired short-term memory and motor coordination, altered judgment, paranoia, and psychosis. Long-term effects include addiction, altered brain development, poor educational outcomes, cognitive impairment, diminished quality of life, increased risk of chronic respiratory tract and psychotic disorders, injuries, motor vehicle collisions, and suicide.
The researchers warned that users of cannabis may resume cannabis use to allay the depression and anxiety symptoms that are part of the withdrawal syndrome, perpetuating the long-term withdrawal cycle.
Bahji and colleagues suggest that because of the high prevalence of the withdrawal syndrome, doctors should screen patients for cannabis withdrawal, particularly men and frequent cannabis users. They write, “Clinicians should be aware of CWS as it is associated with clinically significant symptoms, which can trigger resumption of cannabis use and serve as negative reinforcement for relapse during a quit attempt.” Doctors can offer support for those reducing their cannabis consumption.
Gabapentin is Effective in Alcohol Use Disorder in Patients with Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Researcher Raymond F. Anton and colleagues reported in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine that compared with placebo, the anticonvulsant medication gabapentin helped people with alcohol use disorders reduce their drinking or abstain from drinking, especially those who had more withdrawal symptoms before treatment.
Ninety-six participants were randomized to receive either placebo or 1200mg/day of gabapentin for 16 weeks.
In the study, 27% of participants who took gabapentin had no heavy drinking days (compared to 9% among those who took placebo) and 18% achieved total abstinence (compared to 4% among those who took placebo). Gabapentin was most effective in those with a history of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. An impressive 41% of participants with high alcohol withdrawal symptoms who took gabapentin achieved total abstinence compared with 1% of participants in the placebo group.
Gabapentin, which is used to treat epilepsy, influences GABA and glutamate transmitters and inhibits the alpha 2gamma-1 voltage sensitive calcium channel, which is upregulated in chronic alcohol exposure.
Chronic Drug Use and Recovery
George Koob, Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, discussed the neuroscience of chronic drug use at the 2015 meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. His basic message was that chronic drug use is associated with A) loss of the reward value of the drug and B) a progressive increase in dysphoria and stress when off the drug. Both factors drive craving and drug seeking.
Access to high as opposed to moderate doses of a drug lead to an escalation in drug intake, and associated persistent increases in withdrawal dysphoria, which Koob called “the dark side.”
Koob explained that a month of detoxification is not sufficient, and that people quitting a drug need more time to let dopamine increase and to let levels of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), which drives the anxiety and dysphoria of withdrawal, normalize. He stressed that for people addicted to opiates, it is important to taper levels of the drug to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
In addition to CRF, dynorphin also plays a role in chronic drug abuse. This opiate peptide acts at kappa opiate receptors and is associated with anxiety, dysphoria, and psychosis as opposed to morphine, which acts at mu opiate receptors and is associated with euphoria and decreased pain. Koob found that administration of the kappa opiate antagonist norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI) blocks dose escalation of methamphetamine and brings abstinence-related compulsive drug seeking back to baseline.
