Scientists from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry have found that there is a strong influence of the genetic variant, AKT1 on psychosis induced by the use of marajuana. A study was conducted in which researchers genotyped and investigated the AKT1 gene in 700 participants. AKT1 codes for a protein, RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase and also signals dopamine. Dopamine levels are abnormal in marajuana users experiencing psychosis. From their study, these researchers were able to conclude that the AKT1 genotype highly influences psychosis in marajuana users.
What led them to this conclusion was that they discovered that people who frequently used marjuana and possessed this gene variant, were twice as likely to develop mental impairment usually associated with the intake of pot. Their chances heavily increased, as much as seven times as much, if they were frequent and daily users. With this new information, it will not be long before treatments are created that reverse this process of psychosis after the intake of this drug.
