Schnakenberg Martin, Ashley M.Kim, Dae-JinNewman, Sharlene D.Cheng, HuHetrick, William P.Mackie, KenO’Donnell, Brian F.2023-05-102023-05-102021Schnakenberg Martin AM, Kim DJ, Newman SD, et al. Altered cerebellar-cortical resting-state functional connectivity in cannabis users. J Psychopharmacol. 2021;35(7):823-832. doi:10.1177/02698811211019291https://hdl.handle.net/1805/32894Background: Cannabis use has been associated with abnormalities in cerebellar mediated motor and non-motor (i.e. cognition and personality) phenomena. Since the cerebellum is a region with high cannabinoid type 1 receptor density, these impairments may reflect alterations of signaling between the cerebellum and other brain regions. Aims: We hypothesized that cerebellar-cortical resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) would be altered in cannabis users, relative to their non-using peers. It was also hypothesized that differences in rsFC would be associated with cannabis use features, such as age of initiation and lifetime use. Methods: Cerebellar-cortical and subcortical rsFCs were computed between 28 cerebellar lobules, defined by a spatially unbiased atlas template of the cerebellum, and individual voxels in the cerebral regions, in 41 regular cannabis users (20 female) and healthy non-using peers (N = 31; 18 female). We also investigated associations between rsFC and cannabis use features (e.g. lifetime cannabis use and age of initiation). Results: Cannabis users demonstrated hyperconnectivity between the anterior cerebellar regions (i.e. lobule I-IV) with the posterior cingulate cortex, and hypoconnectivity between the rest of the cerebellum (i.e. Crus I and II, lobule VIIb, VIIIa, VIIIb, IX, and X) and the cortex. No associations were observed between features of cannabis use and rsFC. Conclusions: Cannabis use was associated with altered patterns of rsFC from the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex which may have a downstream impact on behavior and cognition.en-USPublisher PolicyCannabisCerebellumMRIPosterior cingulate cortexConnectivityResting-stateArticle