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Acute effects of cannabinoids on symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A human laboratory study.

Reilly R Kayser, Margaret Haney, Marissa Raskin, Caroline A Arout, Helen Blair Simpson

Depression and Anxiety August 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1002/da.23032 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Placebo-controlled Peer reviewed
Sample size 12
Population Adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder and prior experience using cannabis
Topics Anxiety Cannabis CBD
Keywords Cannabinoids Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Key findings Smoked cannabis containing primarily THC or CBD had little acute impact on OCD symptoms and yielded smaller reductions in anxiety compared to placebo.

Abstract

Preclinical data implicate the endocannabinoid system in the pathology underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), while survey data have linked OCD symptoms to increased cannabis use. Cannabis products are increasingly marketed as treatments for anxiety and other OCD-related symptoms. Yet, few studies have tested the acute effects of cannabis on psychiatric symptoms in humans. We recruited 14 adults with OCD and prior experience using cannabis to enter a randomized, placebo-controlled, human laboratory study to compare the effects on OCD symptoms of cannabis containing varying concentrations of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on OCD symptoms to placebo. We used a within-subjects design to increase statistical power. Across three laboratory sessions, participants smoked three cannabis varietals in random order: placebo (0% THC/0% CBD); THC (7.0% THC/0.18% CBD); and CBD (0.4% THC/10.4% CBD). We analyzed acute changes in OCD symptoms, state anxiety, cardiovascular measures, and drug-related effects (e.g., euphoria) as a function of varietal. Twelve participants completed the study. THC increased heart rate, blood pressure, and intoxication compared with CBD and placebo. Self-reported OCD symptoms and anxiety decreased over time in all three conditions. Although OCD symptoms did not vary as a function of cannabis varietal, state anxiety was significantly lower immediately after placebo administration relative to both THC and CBD. This is the first placebo-controlled investigation of cannabis in adults with OCD. The data suggest that smoked cannabis, whether containing primarily THC or CBD, has little acute impact on OCD symptoms and yields smaller reductions in anxiety compared to placebo.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on cannabis for anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
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
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
Modulation of effective connectivity during emotional processing by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol Healthy subjects 2009 Randomized controlled trial n = 15
Cannabis containing equivalent concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) induces less state anxiety than THC-dominant cannabis Healthy recreational cannabis users 2022 Randomized controlled trial, within-subjects n = 26
Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity Regular drug users 2015 Three-way crossover study n = 122

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