Cannabis Use in Autism: Reasons for Concern about Risk for Psychosis

Being particularly vulnerable to the pro-psychotic effects of cannabinoid exposure, autism spectrum individuals present with an increased risk of psychosis, which may be passed on to their own children. More specifically, cannabis exposure among autism spectrum individuals seems to exert disruptive epigenetic effects that can be intergenerationally inherited in brain areas which play a critical role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Additionally, because of such cannabinoid-induced epigenetic effects, autism candidate genes present with bivalent chromatin markings which make them more vulnerable to subsequent disruption, possibly leading to psychosis onset later in life. Thus, findings support a developmental trajectory between autism and psychosis, as per endocannabinoid system modulation. However, such evidence has not received the attention it deserves.

Automated summary

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder are more vulnerable to the psychotic effects of cannabis exposure, which can be passed on to their children. Cannabis exposure has disruptive epigenetic effects, particularly in brain areas related to schizophrenia, which can be inherited across generations. These effects make autism candidate genes more susceptible to disruption, potentially leading to psychosis later in life. Therefore, there is a developmental link between autism and psychosis through the modulation of the endocannabinoid system.