2023
Dysregulation of the endogenous cannabinoid system following opioid exposure
Mohammad Aghaei A, Saali A, Canas M, Weleff J, D'Souza D, Angarita G, Bassir Nia A. Dysregulation of the endogenous cannabinoid system following opioid exposure. Psychiatry Research 2023, 330: 115586. PMID: 37931479, PMCID: PMC10842415, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115586.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEndocannabinoid systemECS componentsBrain regionsNovel neurobiological targetsTreatment of OUDEndogenous opioid systemOpioid-related deathsEndogenous cannabinoid systemSpecific brain regionsECS dysregulationOpioid exposureOUD treatmentOpioid systemCannabinoid systemNeurobiological targetsNew medicationsPreclinical literatureCannabinoid receptorsEndogenous ligandTherapeutic potentialStudy typePresent potential targetsExposure protocolOpioidsPreclinical researchRegular cannabis use is associated with history of childhood and lifetime trauma in a non-clinical community sample
Bassir Nia A, Weleff J, Fogelman N, Nourbakhsh S, Sinha R. Regular cannabis use is associated with history of childhood and lifetime trauma in a non-clinical community sample. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2023, 159: 159-164. PMID: 36736285, PMCID: PMC10024801, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.01.036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor life eventsChildhood traumaLife eventsChildhood Trauma QuestionnaireLifetime traumaCannabis useNon-clinical community sampleChronic stressNeurobiology of stressRegular cannabis useGender differencesRegular useSelf-report questionnairesRecent life eventsPotential gender differencesCross-sectional studyUrine drug testingLife traumaLogistic regression analysisAdversity indexCommunity sampleCannabis usersTrauma QuestionnaireHigh rateSubstance use
2022
Sex differences in the acute effects of intravenous (IV) delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Bassir Nia A, Orejarena MJ, Flynn L, Luddy C, D’Souza D, Skosnik PD, Pittman B, Ranganathan M. Sex differences in the acute effects of intravenous (IV) delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Psychopharmacology 2022, 239: 1621-1628. PMID: 35438304, PMCID: PMC11215802, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06135-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRey Auditory Verbal Learning TaskPsychotomimetic States InventoryCognitive effectsAuditory Verbal Learning TaskSubjective effectsDelta-9-TetrahydrocannabinolSex differencesVerbal learning taskDissociative Symptoms ScaleFemale participantsMain psychoactive constituentSignificant main effectPerceptual alterationsLearning taskStates InventoryPsychoactive constituentSignificant sex differencesMain effectMale participantsVisual analog scaleSymptom ScaleTest dayEffects of cannabinoidsParticipantsPsychotomimetic effects
2021
Dopamine D1R Receptor Stimulation as a Mechanistic Pro-cognitive Target for Schizophrenia
Abi-Dargham A, Javitch JA, Slifstein M, Anticevic A, Calkins ME, Cho YT, Fonteneau C, Gil R, Girgis R, Gur RE, Gur RC, Grinband J, Kantrowitz J, Kohler C, Krystal J, Murray J, Ranganathan M, Santamauro N, Van Snellenberg J, Tamayo Z, Wolf D, D’Souza D, Srihari V, Gueorguieva R, Patel P, Forselius-Bielen K, Lu J, Butler A, Fram G, Afriyie-Agyemang Y, Selloni A, Cadavid L, Gomez-Luna S, Gupta A, Radhakrishnan R, Rashid A, Aker R, Abrahim P, Nia A, Surti T, Kegeles L, Carlson M, Goldberg T, Gangwisch J, Benedict E, Govil P, Brazis S, Mayer M, de la Garrigue N, Fallon N, Baumvoll T, Abeykoon S, Perlman G, Bobchin K, Elliott M, Schmidt L, Rush S, Port A, Heffernan Z, Laney N, Kantor J, Hohing T, Gray D, Lieberman J. Dopamine D1R Receptor Stimulation as a Mechanistic Pro-cognitive Target for Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2021, 48: 199-210. PMID: 34423843, PMCID: PMC8781338, DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbab095.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCortical dopamine neurotransmissionPositive allosteric modulationImportant therapeutic targetPF-06412562Dopaminergic receptorsD1R stimulationDA levelsTolerable dosesLevel of stimulationDopamine neurotransmissionReceptor stimulationTherapeutic targetPartial agonistCognitive deficitsBiased agonismFull agonismTarget engagementAllosteric modulationNew drugsStimulationPoor bioavailabilitySchizophreniaOptimal stimulationDrugsExpression levels
2020
Cannabinoid use in psychotic patients impacts inflammatory levels and their association with psychosis severity
Gibson CL, Bassir Nia A, Spriggs SA, DeFrancisco D, Swift A, Perkel C, Zhong X, Mazumdar M, Fernandez N, Patel M, Kim-Schulze S, Hurd YL. Cannabinoid use in psychotic patients impacts inflammatory levels and their association with psychosis severity. Psychiatry Research 2020, 293: 113380. PMID: 32818918, PMCID: PMC8292796, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113380.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInterleukin-6Psychosis severityCannabinoid useCannabis useIL-6 levelsCommon underlying pathologyPANSS total scoreChronic psychotic disordersRisk of psychosisPsychiatric emergency roomNegative Syndrome ScalePsychotic symptom severityInflammatory alterationsInflammatory markersInflammatory disturbancesAcute psychosisInflammatory abnormalitiesNata medicationUnderlying pathologyEmergency roomInflammatory levelsPANSS scoresPsychiatric unitUnadjusted modelsPsychotic disorders
2019
The Relevance of Sex in the Association of Synthetic Cannabinoid Use With Psychosis and Agitation in an Inpatient Population.
Bassir Nia A, Mann CL, Spriggs S, DeFrancisco DR, Carbonaro S, Parvez L, Galynker II, Perkel CA, Hurd YL. The Relevance of Sex in the Association of Synthetic Cannabinoid Use With Psychosis and Agitation in an Inpatient Population. The Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry 2019, 80 PMID: 31265768, PMCID: PMC8445109, DOI: 10.4088/jcp.18m12539.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsToxicology screenRelevance of sexSynthetic cannabinoid useSC usePositive urine toxicology screenCannabinoid useUrine toxicology screenRetrospective chart reviewPositive toxicology screenEffects of cannabinoidsSC usersRates of psychosisChart reviewPharmacologic treatmentClinical symptomsInpatient populationInpatient settingPsychotic presentationsUse of substancesStudy groupHigh riskPsychiatric unitCurrent evidenceControl groupPsychosis
2018
Current Knowledge on Gene-Environment Interactions in Personality Disorders: an Update
Bulbena-Cabre A, Bassir Nia A, Perez-Rodriguez MM. Current Knowledge on Gene-Environment Interactions in Personality Disorders: an Update. Current Psychiatry Reports 2018, 20: 74. PMID: 30094700, DOI: 10.1007/s11920-018-0934-7.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsBorderline personality disorderGene-environment interactionsPersonality disorderAvoidant personality disorderNew therapeutic dimensionPurpose of ReviewWeEpigenetic changesPharmacological treatmentTherapeutic approachesMost personality disordersChildhood sexual abuseDisordersRecent FindingsResearchSusceptibility genesCurrent knowledgeFuture studiesTherapeutic dimensionCannabidiol, an Adjunct Player in the Antipsychosis Arsenal
Bassir Nia A, Hurd YL. Cannabidiol, an Adjunct Player in the Antipsychosis Arsenal. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2018, 175: 197-198. PMID: 29490489, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17121295.Commentaries, Editorials and Letters