Citation

Bortolato M, Braccagni G, Pederson CA, Floris G, Fite PJ. Aggress. Violent Behav. 2024; 78: e101948.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.avb.2024.101948

PMID

38828012

PMCID

PMC11141739

Abstract

Recent shifts in societal attitudes towards cannabis have led to a dramatic increase in consumption rates in many Western countries, particularly among young people. This trend has shed light on a significant link between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and pathological reactive aggression, a condition involving disproportionate aggressive and violent reactions to minor provocations. The discourse on the connection between cannabis use and aggression is frequently enmeshed in political and legal discussions, leading to a polarized understanding of the causative relationship between cannabis use and aggression. However, integrative analyses from both human and animal research indicate a complex, bidirectional interplay between cannabis misuse and pathological aggression. On the one hand, emerging research reveals a shared genetic and environmental predisposition for both cannabis use and aggression, suggesting a common underlying biological mechanism. On the other hand, there is evidence that cannabis consumption can lead to violent behaviors while also being used as a self-medication strategy to mitigate the negative emotions associated with pathological reactive aggression. This suggests that the coexistence of pathological aggression and CUD may result from overlapping vulnerabilities, potentially creating a self-perpetuating cycle where each condition exacerbates the other, escalating into externalizing and violent behaviors. This article aims to synthesize existing research on the intricate connections between these issues and propose a theoretical model to explain the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning this complex relationship.

Language: en

Keywords

cannabis; neurobiology; endocannabinoid system; animal models; pathological aggression