Acute Effects of THC on Time Perception in Frequent and Infrequent Cannabis Users
Richard A Sewell, Ashley Schnakenberg, Jacqueline Elander, Rajiv Radhakrishnan, A. Williams, Patrick D. Skosnik, Brian Pittman, Mohini Ranganathan, Deepak C. D’Souza
Psychopharmacology November 24, 2012 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2915-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover, placebo-controlled study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 44 |
| Population | Subjects who participated in several studies, including frequent and infrequent/nonsmokers of cannabis |
| Dose | 0.015 to 0.05 mg/kg |
| Measures | time estimation and production tasks |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key points | THC increases internal clock speed, indicated by time overestimation and underproduction, an effect that is not dose related and is blunted in chronic cannabis smokers. |
Abstract
Cannabinoids have been shown to alter time perception, but existing literature has several limitations. Few studies have included both time estimation and production tasks, few control for subvocal counting, most had small sample sizes, some did not record subjects’ cannabis use, many tested only one dose, and used either oral or inhaled administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), leading to variable pharmacokinetics, and some used whole-plant cannabis containing cannabinoids other than THC. Our study attempted to address these limitations. This study aims to characterize the acute effects of THC and frequent cannabis use on seconds-range time perception. THC was hypothesized to produce transient, dose-related time overestimation and underproduction. Frequent cannabis smokers were hypothesized to show blunted responses to these alterations. IV THC was administered at doses from 0.015 to 0.05 mg/kg to 44 subjects who participated in several double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover, placebo-controlled studies. Visual time estimation and production tasks in the seconds range were presented to subjects three times on each test day. All doses induced time overestimation and underproduction. Chronic cannabis use had no effect on baseline time perception. While infrequent/nonsmokers showed temporal overestimation at medium and high doses and temporal underproduction at all doses, frequent cannabis users showed no differences. THC effects on time perception were not dose related. A psychoactive dose of THC increases internal clock speed as indicated by time overestimation and underproduction. This effect is not dose related and is blunted in chronic cannabis smokers who did not otherwise have altered baseline time perception.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Healthy participants | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 48 |
| Distinct Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing Healthy, English-native, right-handed men who had used cannabis 15 times or less in... | 2009 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial | n = 15 |
| Acute Effects of a Single, Oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) Administration in Healthy Volunteers Healthy male subjects | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 16 |
| Modulation of Mediotemporal and Ventrostriatal Function in Humans by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Healthy, native English-speaking, right-handed men of white race/ethnicity who had used... | 2009 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 15 |
| Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Healthy volunteers with a history of light cannabis use | 2019 | Randomized, double-blind, within-subjects crossover | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Gone to Pot – A Review of the Association between Cannabis and Psychosis Frontiers in Psychiatry May 22, 2014
- Psychedelics’ Intoxicating Impact and Behavioural Dynamics Pharmaceutical Science August 19, 2025
- Evidence for pro-cognitive benefits of cannabinoids in people with bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology July 21, 2026
- Clinical, Cognitive, and Neurobiological Correlates of Impaired Timing Abilities Associate to Cannabis Use: a Systematic Review International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction August 29, 2023
- Running High: Cannabis Users' Subjective Experience of Exercise During Legal Market Cannabis Use Versus No Use in a Naturalistic Setting Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research July 13, 2023
and 9 more in the library
Cites 20
- Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Disruption of Time Perception and of Self-Timed Actions Pharmacopsychiatry July 22, 2010
- Naltrexone does not attenuate the effects of intravenous Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in healthy humans. The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology October 2012
- Dose-related modulation of event-related potentials to novel and target stimuli by intravenous Δ⁹-THC in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology June 2012
- The safety of studies with intravenous Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans, with case histories. Psychopharmacology February 2012
- Reversible and regionally selective downregulation of brain cannabinoid CB1 receptors in chronic daily cannabis smokers Molecular Psychiatry July 12, 2011
and 15 more in the library