Cannabinoids, interoception, and anxiety.
Allyson K Andrade, Briana Renda, Jennifer E Murray
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior May 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.03.006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Cannabis |
| Keywords | Conditioning Insula Interoception |
| Key findings | Both endogenous and exogenous cannabinoid activation generally elicits biphasic effects on expression of the subjective state, with lower doses appearing to have anxiolytic properties and higher doses perceived as anxiogenic. |
Abstract
The use of cannabis is rapidly gaining legal status across North America. Such dramatic legislative shifts have prompted an urgency in elucidating the stimulus effects of cannabis consumption. Cannabis use, though relatively safe compared to other drugs of abuse, has been associated with greater risk of mental health disorders, possibly via its primary psychoactive constituent, Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In this review, we discuss endocannabinoid activation and cannabis constituents from the perspective of subjective interoceptive (internally-perceived) states and how that relates to anxiety. Human studies have examined these subjective effects through use of self-report questionnaires. However, non-human studies use proxy methods of assessing anxiety states, such as elevated plus maze and fear conditioning paradigms. So far, this body of research has demonstrated that both endogenous and exogenous cannabinoid activation generally elicits biphasic effects on expression of the subjective state, with lower doses appearing to have anxiolytic properties and higher doses perceived as anxiogenic. Unfortunately, research with these compounds has been historically limited due to excessively tight regulatory control. Therefore, much work remains regarding the investigation of interactions between cannabinoid receptor activity and cannabis constituents on anxiety. Ongoing changes in legal status will hopefully mitigate the challenges faced by researchers attempting to access cannabis and THC that is inherently built in by federal and international classifications.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review | |
| Mitigation of post‐traumatic stress symptoms by Cannabis resin: A review of the clinical and neurobiological evidence 19-year-old male patient with severe PTSD | 2012 | Review | |
| Partydrogen im Überblick Party drug users | 2026 | Review | |
| The Use of Illicit Drugs in Therapy: an Introduction | 2023 | Review | |
| Cannabis and psychosis: is there a role for Cannabidiol in the treatment of psychosis in young cannabis users? | 2020 | Literature review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Acute Ultra Low Dose THC Attenuates Anxiety-Like Behavior in a Mouse Model for Major-Depressive Disorder Journal of Molecular Neuroscience October 12, 2026
- Brain Network Convergence of Abnormal Gray Matter and Functional Activity of Pathological Dissociative Symptoms. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences August 29, 2026
- Subjective, behavioral and neurobiological effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in social anxiety. Reviews in the Neurosciences February 26, 2024
- The endocannabinoid system as a putative target for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. Psychological Medicine November 2023
- Possible therapeutic applications of cannabis in the neuropsychopharmacology field. European Neuropsychopharmacology July 2020
Cites 44
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- Acute Effects of a Single, Oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) Administration in Healthy Volunteers Current Pharmaceutical Design September 12, 2012
- The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies Pharmacology & Therapeutics October 20, 2018
- Evidence for involvement of the insula in the psychotropic effects of THC in humans: a double-blind, randomized pharmacological MRI study The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology April 14, 2011
and 39 more in the library