Pharmacopsychiatry 2010; 43(5): 194-195
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1254088
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Acute Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on the Auditory Evoked Mismatch Negativity are Modulated by the NRG1 Gene

A. M. Stadelmann1 , P. Roser2 , L. Arning3 , J. Gallinat1 , J. T. Epplen3 , G. Juckel2
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany
  • 2Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany
  • 3Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 14.12.2009 revised 19.02.2010

accepted 05.03.2010

Publication Date:
25 June 2010 (online)

Reduced amplitudes of auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) are a robust finding in schizophrenia, indicating deficient auditory information processing. Cannabis-induced psychotic states may resemble schizophrenic disorders. Yet, as previously reported, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, has no effect on MMN generation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether variations in the potential susceptibility gene for schizophrenia, neuregulin 1 (NRG1), modulate the effects of Δ9-THC on MMN generation in 22 healthy subjects. Our analysis showed that NRG1 (rs783406) was significantly associated with the MMN amplitude, particularly at central electrodes. These data indicate that variations within NRG1 may alter the sensitivity to the cognitive effects of cannabinoids.

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Correspondence

P. RoserMD 

Department of Psychiatry

Ruhr-University Bochum

LWL University Hospital

Alexandrinenstraße 1

44791 Bochum

Germany

Phone: +49/234/5077 153

Fax: +49/234 /5077 234

Email: patrik.roser@rub.de