Stress Response in Cannabis Users and Psychosis

Stress exposure modifies the onset and evolution of several neuropsychiatric disorders. The dysregulation of the stress response, including dopamine release, is a potential etiological factor in the development and relapse of dopamine-related human disorders, including addictions and psychotic disorders. Exogenous cannabinoids alter the dopaminergic balance, and its effects could be potentiated in individuals experiencing adverse environmental stress. Chronic cannabis users present altered dopaminergic responses, suggesting blunted dopamine response to pharmacological and stress challenges.The endocannabinoid system, proposed as a main homeostatic system implicated in the regulation of the complex neuroimmune interactions in diverse neuropathological scenarios, may play a role as a possible link between stress, continuous cannabis use, and psychosis. Several studies have related endocannabinoid system alterations with psychotic disorders, and frequent cannabis exposure, especially in adolescence, may alter the endocannabinoid function in patients with schizophrenia, or in those at risk for the disease.