Testing the association between tobacco and cannabis use and cognitive functioning: Findings from an observational and Mendelian randomization study

Liam Mahedy; Robyn Wootton; Steph Suddell; Caroline Skirrow; Matt Field; Jon Heron; Matthew Hickman; Marcus R. Munafò

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108591

Testing the association between tobacco and cannabis use and cognitive functioning: Findings from an observational and Mendelian randomization study

Liam Mahedy, Robyn Wootton, Steph Suddell, Caroline Skirrow, Matt Field, Jon Heron, Matthew Hickman, Marcus R. Munafò

Vice Chancellor's Office

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Background: Although studies have examined the association between tobacco and cannabis use in adolescence with subsequent cognitive functioning, study designs are usually not able to distinguish correlation from causation.

Methods: Separate patterns of tobacco and cannabis use were derived using longitudinal latent class analysis based on measures assessed on five occasions from age 13–18 in a large UK population cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Cognitive functioning measures comprised of working memory, response inhibition, and emotion recognition assessed at 24 years of age. Mendelian randomization was used to examine the possible causal relationship between smoking initiation, lifetime cannabis use and cognitive functioning.

Results: We found evidence of a relationship between tobacco and cannabis use and diminished cognitive functioning for each of the outcomes in the observational analyses. There was evidence to suggest that late-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.29, 95 %CI=-0.45 to -0.13), early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.45, 95 %CI=-0.84 to -0.05), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b=-0.62, 95 %CI=-0.93 to -0.31) showed poorer working memory. Early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b = 0.18, 95 %CI = 0.07 to 0.28), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b = 0.30, 95 %CI = 0.08 to 0.52) displayed poorer ability to inhibit responses. Late-onset regular (b=-0.02, 95 %CI=-0.03 to - 0.00), and early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.04, 95 %CI=-0.08 to -0.01) showed poorer ability to recognise emotions. Mendelian randomization analyses were imprecise and did not provide additional support for the observational results.

Conclusion: There was some evidence to suggest that adolescent tobacco and cannabis use were associated with deficits in working memory, response inhibition and emotion recognition. Better powered genetic studies are required to determine whether these associations are causal.

Original language	English
Article number	108591
Journal	Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume	221
Early online date	12 Feb 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108591
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2021

Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study, the midwives for their help in recruiting them, and the whole ALSPAC team, which includes interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists and nurses. GWAS data were generated by Sample Logistics and Genotyping Facilities at Wellcome Sanger Institute and LabCorp (Laboratory Corporation of America) using support from 23andMe. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf).

Keywords

ALSPAC
Cannabis
Causal inference
Cognition
Tobacco

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Toxicology
Pharmacology
Psychiatry and Mental health
Pharmacology (medical)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108591Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Testing the association between tobacco and cannabis use and cognitive functioning: Findings from an observational and Mendelian randomization study",

abstract = "Background: Although studies have examined the association between tobacco and cannabis use in adolescence with subsequent cognitive functioning, study designs are usually not able to distinguish correlation from causation. Methods: Separate patterns of tobacco and cannabis use were derived using longitudinal latent class analysis based on measures assessed on five occasions from age 13–18 in a large UK population cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Cognitive functioning measures comprised of working memory, response inhibition, and emotion recognition assessed at 24 years of age. Mendelian randomization was used to examine the possible causal relationship between smoking initiation, lifetime cannabis use and cognitive functioning. Results: We found evidence of a relationship between tobacco and cannabis use and diminished cognitive functioning for each of the outcomes in the observational analyses. There was evidence to suggest that late-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.29, 95 %CI=-0.45 to -0.13), early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.45, 95 %CI=-0.84 to -0.05), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b=-0.62, 95 %CI=-0.93 to -0.31) showed poorer working memory. Early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b = 0.18, 95 %CI = 0.07 to 0.28), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b = 0.30, 95 %CI = 0.08 to 0.52) displayed poorer ability to inhibit responses. Late-onset regular (b=-0.02, 95 %CI=-0.03 to - 0.00), and early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.04, 95 %CI=-0.08 to -0.01) showed poorer ability to recognise emotions. Mendelian randomization analyses were imprecise and did not provide additional support for the observational results. Conclusion: There was some evidence to suggest that adolescent tobacco and cannabis use were associated with deficits in working memory, response inhibition and emotion recognition. Better powered genetic studies are required to determine whether these associations are causal.",

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T2 - Findings from an observational and Mendelian randomization study

AU - Mahedy, Liam

AU - Wootton, Robyn

AU - Suddell, Steph

AU - Skirrow, Caroline

AU - Field, Matt

AU - Heron, Jon

AU - Hickman, Matthew

AU - Munafò, Marcus R.

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N2 - Background: Although studies have examined the association between tobacco and cannabis use in adolescence with subsequent cognitive functioning, study designs are usually not able to distinguish correlation from causation. Methods: Separate patterns of tobacco and cannabis use were derived using longitudinal latent class analysis based on measures assessed on five occasions from age 13–18 in a large UK population cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Cognitive functioning measures comprised of working memory, response inhibition, and emotion recognition assessed at 24 years of age. Mendelian randomization was used to examine the possible causal relationship between smoking initiation, lifetime cannabis use and cognitive functioning. Results: We found evidence of a relationship between tobacco and cannabis use and diminished cognitive functioning for each of the outcomes in the observational analyses. There was evidence to suggest that late-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.29, 95 %CI=-0.45 to -0.13), early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.45, 95 %CI=-0.84 to -0.05), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b=-0.62, 95 %CI=-0.93 to -0.31) showed poorer working memory. Early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b = 0.18, 95 %CI = 0.07 to 0.28), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b = 0.30, 95 %CI = 0.08 to 0.52) displayed poorer ability to inhibit responses. Late-onset regular (b=-0.02, 95 %CI=-0.03 to - 0.00), and early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.04, 95 %CI=-0.08 to -0.01) showed poorer ability to recognise emotions. Mendelian randomization analyses were imprecise and did not provide additional support for the observational results. Conclusion: There was some evidence to suggest that adolescent tobacco and cannabis use were associated with deficits in working memory, response inhibition and emotion recognition. Better powered genetic studies are required to determine whether these associations are causal.

AB - Background: Although studies have examined the association between tobacco and cannabis use in adolescence with subsequent cognitive functioning, study designs are usually not able to distinguish correlation from causation. Methods: Separate patterns of tobacco and cannabis use were derived using longitudinal latent class analysis based on measures assessed on five occasions from age 13–18 in a large UK population cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Cognitive functioning measures comprised of working memory, response inhibition, and emotion recognition assessed at 24 years of age. Mendelian randomization was used to examine the possible causal relationship between smoking initiation, lifetime cannabis use and cognitive functioning. Results: We found evidence of a relationship between tobacco and cannabis use and diminished cognitive functioning for each of the outcomes in the observational analyses. There was evidence to suggest that late-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.29, 95 %CI=-0.45 to -0.13), early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.45, 95 %CI=-0.84 to -0.05), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b=-0.62, 95 %CI=-0.93 to -0.31) showed poorer working memory. Early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b = 0.18, 95 %CI = 0.07 to 0.28), and early-onset regular cannabis users (b = 0.30, 95 %CI = 0.08 to 0.52) displayed poorer ability to inhibit responses. Late-onset regular (b=-0.02, 95 %CI=-0.03 to - 0.00), and early-onset regular tobacco smokers (b=-0.04, 95 %CI=-0.08 to -0.01) showed poorer ability to recognise emotions. Mendelian randomization analyses were imprecise and did not provide additional support for the observational results. Conclusion: There was some evidence to suggest that adolescent tobacco and cannabis use were associated with deficits in working memory, response inhibition and emotion recognition. Better powered genetic studies are required to determine whether these associations are causal.

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KW - Cannabis

KW - Causal inference

KW - Cognition

KW - Tobacco

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SN - 0376-8716

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Testing the association between tobacco and cannabis use and cognitive functioning: Findings from an observational and Mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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