Associate Professor Carsten Hjorthøj is a leading researcher in psychiatric epidemiology, specializing in substance use and mental health. He is the research leader of the EMPIRA group at Mental Health Center Copenhagen.

At this webinar, he will serve as moderator.

André McDonald, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences. Dr. McDonald’s research examines the intersection between mental health and substance use among youth, with a focus on the link between cannabis use and risk of mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. Dr. McDonald completed his graduate training at the University of Toronto and is currently supported by a Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Growing evidence suggests that age at cannabis exposure may be associated with differing levels of risk for psychotic disorder, particularly in the context of steadily increasing cannabis potency over the past two decades. In this presentation, Dr. McDonald will review population-based longitudinal data examining age-specific associations between cannabis use and incident psychotic disorder. The study examines how these associations vary across developmental stages and interprets the findings in light of rising Δ9-THC concentrations. Broader implications for psychiatric epidemiology, prevention, and public health will be discussed.