Microscopic Motor Alterations in Psychosis and Chronic Cannabis Use

Abstract

Background and HypothesisMotor alterations represent an important component of psychotic disorders. Chronic cannabis use, a key risk factor for psychosis, is also associated with sensorimotor dysfunctions. Yet, the hypothesis of a common sensorimotor disturbance remains underinvestigated. Study Design.In this study, we examined submovements, elementary units of motor output, to search for common subclinical impairments in these populations. Patients with psychosis (n = 17), heavy cannabis users (n = 21), and healthy controls (n = 17) performed a continuous visuomotor synchronization task, consisting in tracking a dot moving on a screen with a finger. Study Results.Individuals with psychosis and cannabis users exhibited less frequent and more variable submovements compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, when interacting with a pre-recorded human kinematic profile, both groups exhibited attenuated responses to the observed submovements. This alteration was found to be more pronounced in patients with psychosis. Conclusions.These findings suggest that submovement analysis may reveal subtle, shared alterations in sensorimotor integration in psychosis and chronic cannabis use, providing an objective window onto motor dysfunction not readily captured by current clinical tools.