The acute effects of cannabis, with and without cannabidiol, on attentional bias to cannabis related cues: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study
Daniel L. Hall, Will Lawn, Shelan Ofori, Katie Trinci, Anna Borissova, Claire Mokrysz, Kat Petrilli, Michael Bloomfield, Matthew B. Wall, Tom P. Freeman, Helen Valerie Curran
Psychopharmacology February 28, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06543-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 48 |
| Population | Adolescents (aged 16–17) and adults (aged 26–29) who used cannabis 0.5–3 days per week |
| Interventions | THC THC + CBD |
| Dose | 8 mg THC for a 75-kg person; 8 mg THC and 24 mg CBD for a 75-kg person |
| Duration | 3 separate days (single administration per day) |
| Topics | Addiction Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Attentional bias Placebo Dronabinol Effects of cannabis Differential effects Cannabinoid Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol Audiology Cognition |
| Citations | 5 |
| Registration | NCT04851392 |
| Key points | Acute THC administration eliminated attentional bias away from cannabis cues, with no moderating effect of CBD or difference between adolescents and adults. |
Abstract
Rationale: Attentional bias to drug-related stimuli is hypothesised to contribute towards addiction. However, the acute effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on attentional bias to cannabis cues, the differential response in adults and adolescents, and the moderating effect of cannabidiol (CBD) are unknown.
Objectives: Our study investigated (1) the acute effects of vaporised cannabis on attentional bias to cannabis-related images in adults and adolescents and (2) the moderating influences of age and CBD.
Methods: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study where three weight-adjusted vaporised cannabis preparations: 'THC' (8 mg THC for a 75-kg person), 'THC + CBD' (8 mg THC and 24 mg CBD for a 75-kg person) and PLA (matched placebo). Cannabis was administered on 3 separate days to 48 participants, who used cannabis 0.5-3 days/week: 24 adolescents (12 females, aged 16-17) and 24 adults (12 females, aged 26-29). Participants completed a visual probe task with cannabis cues. Our primary outcome was attentional bias to cannabis stimuli, measured using the differential reaction time to a cannabis vs. neutral probe, on 200-ms trials.
Results: = 0.077), indicating THC administration eliminated this bias. There was no significant impact of CBD nor an age-by-drug interaction.
Conclusions: Acute THC intoxication eliminated attentional bias away from cannabis cues. There was no evidence of differential response in adolescents compared to adults and no evidence that a moderate vaporised dose of CBD altered the impact of cannabis on attentional bias.
Trial Registration: This study was listed with the US National Library of Medicine and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, URL: Do Adolescents and Adults Differ in Their Acute Response to Cannabis?-Full Text View-ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT04851392.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on cannabis for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity Regular drug users | 2015 | Three-way crossover study | n = 122 |
| Individual and combined effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on striato-cortical connectivity in the human brain Healthy adults | 2020 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Brief report: The influence of childhood trauma on the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in persons with opioid use disorder. Persons receiving methadone for opioid use disorder | 2024 | Post-hoc analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial | n = 25 |
| Value Signals Guiding Choices for Cannabis Versus Non-Drug Rewards in Regular Cannabis Users Near-daily cannabis users (≥4 days/week; non-treatment-seeking) | 2023 | Crossover experiment | n = 21 |
| The good, the bad, and the intoxicated Occasional cannabis users | 2021 | Double-blind, placebo-controlled study | n = 20 |