Δ9-THC Disrupts Gamma (γ)-Band Neural Oscillations in Humans.
Jose A Cortes-Briones, Patrick D. Skosnik, Daniel H. Mathalon, John D Cahill, Brian Pittman, Ashley H Williams, R Andrew Sewell, Mohini Ranganathan, Brian J Roach, Judith M. Ford, Deepak Cyril D'Souza
Neuropsychopharmacology August 2015 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.53 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Healthy humans (n=20), including recent cannabis users |
| Dose | 0.015 mg/kg and 0.03 mg/kg intravenous |
| Duration | 3 test days (single-dose sessions) |
| Measures | Auditory steady-state response (ASSR), intertrial coherence (ITC), evoked power, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | THC at 0.03 mg/kg reduced 40 Hz intertrial coherence compared to lower dose and placebo, with no significant effects at 20 or 30 Hz. Reduced 40 Hz ITC correlated with higher PANSS scores, and recent cannabis users showed blunted effects. |
Abstract
Gamma (γ)-band oscillations play a key role in perception, associative learning, and conscious awareness and have been shown to be disrupted by cannabinoids in animal studies. The goal of this study was to determine whether cannabinoids disrupt γ-oscillations in humans and whether these effects relate to their psychosis-relevant behavioral effects. The acute, dose-related effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) on the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) were studied in humans (n=20) who completed 3 test days during which they received intravenous Δ(9)-THC (placebo, 0.015, and 0.03 mg/kg) in a double-blind, randomized, crossover, and counterbalanced design. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded while subjects listened to auditory click trains presented at 20, 30, and 40 Hz. Psychosis-relevant effects were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome scale (PANSS). Δ(9)-THC (0.03 mg/kg) reduced intertrial coherence (ITC) in the 40 Hz condition compared with 0.015 mg/kg and placebo. No significant effects were detected for 30 and 20 Hz stimulation. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between 40 Hz ITC and PANSS subscales and total scores under the influence of Δ(9)-THC. Δ(9)-THC (0.03 mg/kg) reduced evoked power during 40 Hz stimulation at a trend level. Recent users of cannabis showed blunted Δ(9)-THC effects on ITC and evoked power. We show for the first time in humans that cannabinoids disrupt γ-band neural oscillations. Furthermore, there is a relationship between disruption of γ-band neural oscillations and psychosis-relevant phenomena induced by cannabinoids. These findings add to a growing literature suggesting some overlap between the acute effects of cannabinoids and the behavioral and psychophysiological alterations observed in psychotic disorders.
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 19
- Human Laboratory Studies on Cannabinoids and Psychosis. Biological Psychiatry April 1, 2016
- Cannabinoids and Vanilloids in Schizophrenia: Neurophysiological Evidence and Directions for Basic Research Frontiers in Pharmacology June 21, 2017
- Psilocybin—Mediated Attenuation of Gamma Band Auditory Steady-State Responses (ASSR) Is Driven by the Intensity of Cognitive and Emotional Domains of Psychedelic Experience Journal of Personalized Medicine June 19, 2022
- Multi-level therapeutic actions of cannabidiol in ketamine-induced schizophrenia psychopathology in male rats. Neuropsychopharmacology December 1, 2024
- Cognitive, Electrophysiological, and Behavioral Presentation of First-Episode Psychosis With or Without Cannabis Exposure. American Journal of Psychiatry June 3, 2026
and 14 more in the library
Cites 13
- Gone to Pot – A Review of the Association between Cannabis and Psychosis Frontiers in Psychiatry May 22, 2014
- The effect of chronic cannabinoids on broadband EEG neural oscillations in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology September 2012
- Dose-related modulation of event-related potentials to novel and target stimuli by intravenous Δ⁹-THC in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology June 2012
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- Reversible and regionally selective downregulation of brain cannabinoid CB1 receptors in chronic daily cannabis smokers Molecular Psychiatry July 12, 2011
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