Neural and Psychiatric Consequences of Cannabis Use in Adolescents

This study aims to understand how cannabis use affects the brains of teenagers with depression. Our goal is to improve understanding of how cannabis and depression interact in young people to help guide future understanding of treatment strategies.

The study will include up to 7 visits over 2 years:

- Baseline: clinical visit (1) and scan visit (2)
- 6-month follow up: cannabis use evaluation (3)
- 1-year follow-up: clinical visit (4) and scan visit (5)
- 18-month follow-up: cannabis use evaluation (6)
- 2-year follow-up: clinical visit (7)

The clinical visits will take place remotely and include mental health evaluations with one of our study clinicians. The scan visits will take place at the Icahn School of Medicine and include an MRI brain scan, optional blood draw, and questionnaires. The cannabis use evaluation visits will include a cannabis use assessment and recount of cannabis use from the past week.

Inclusion criteria:

- Between 14-20 years old
- Experiencing symptoms of depression (e.g., persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite)
- Cannabis smokers and non-smokers
- Not currently taking psychotropic medications (e.g., Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro) or must meet washout requirements.
- Able to undergo MRI scan (no braces, metal implants, not pregnant)

Exclusion criteria:

- Suicidal ideations (SI) necessitating immediate clinical attention or hospitalization
- Diagnoses of any of the following: Psychotic disorder (or current psychotic symptoms); Bipolar disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder

Conditions:
• Depression