Sleep deficits and cannabis use behaviors: an analysis of shared genetics using linkage disequilibrium score regression and polygenic risk prediction

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 44; no. 3; p. 1
• Main Authors: Winiger, Evan A, Ellingson, Jarrod M, Morrison, Claire L, Corley, Robin P, Pasman, Joëlle A, Wall, Tamara L, Hopfer, Christian J, Hewitt, John K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 01-03-2021
• Subjects: Adult; Basic Science of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms; Behavior; Cannabis; Drug addiction; Female; Genetic aspects; Genome-Wide Association Study; Genomics; Humans; Insomnia; Linkage Disequilibrium; Male; Marijuana; Multifactorial Inheritance - genetics; Sleep; Sleep - genetics; Sleep deprivation; Colorado; cannabis; chronotype; sleep duration; cannabis use disorder; genetics; insomnia
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsaa188

Abstract
Study Objectives
Estimate the genetic relationship of cannabis use with sleep deficits and an eveningness chronotype.
Methods
We used linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) to analyze genetic correlations between sleep deficits and cannabis use behaviors. Secondly, we generated sleep deficit polygenic risk score (PRS) and estimated their ability to predict cannabis use behaviors using linear and logistic regression. Summary statistics came from existing genome-wide association studies of European ancestry that were focused on sleep duration, insomnia, chronotype, lifetime cannabis use, and cannabis use disorder (CUD). A target sample for PRS prediction consisted of high-risk participants and participants from twin/family community-based studies (European ancestry; n = 760, male = 64%; mean age = 26.78 years). Target data consisted of self-reported sleep (sleep duration, feeling tired, and taking naps) and cannabis use behaviors (lifetime ever use, number of lifetime uses, past 180-day use, age of first use, and lifetime CUD symptoms).
Results
Significant genetic correlation between lifetime cannabis use and an eveningness chronotype (rG = 0.24, p < 0.001), as well as between CUD and both short sleep duration (<7 h; rG = 0.23, p = 0.017) and insomnia (rG = 0.20, p = 0.020). Insomnia PRS predicted earlier age of first cannabis use (OR = 0.92, p = 0.036) and increased lifetime CUD symptom count (OR = 1.09, p = 0.012).
Conclusion
Cannabis use is genetically associated with both sleep deficits and an eveningness chronotype, suggesting that there are genes that predispose individuals to both cannabis use and sleep deficits.