A randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind, crossover trial on the effect of a 20:1 cannabidiol: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol medical cannabis product on neurocognition, attention, and mood.
Brooke Manning, Amie C Hayley, Sarah J Catchlove, Con Stough, Luke A. Downey
European Neuropsychopharmacology May 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.02.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial (crossover) Placebo-controlled Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 31 |
| Population | Healthy adults aged 21-58 years |
| Dose | 1 mL sublingual |
| Duration | Two-week experimental protocol |
| Measures | Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, Profile of Mood States, Bond-Lader Visual Analogue Scale |
| Topics | CBD Cannabis |
| Keywords | Attention Cantab Visuospatial memory Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol |
| Key findings | CannEpil increased Total Errors in Spatial Span and Correct Latency in Pattern Recognition Memory, while increasing Efficiency Score (lower indicates greater efficiency) relative to placebo. Subjective Contentedness and Amicability increased at around 2.5 hours post dosing. Drowsiness or sedation was reported by 23% of participants between three to six hours post administration. |
Abstract
As cannabinoid-based medications gain popularity in the treatment of refractory medical conditions, it is crucial to examine the neurocognitive effects of commonly prescribed products to ensure associated safety profiles. The present study aims to investigate the acute effects of a standard 1 mL sublingual dose of CannEpil®, a medicinal cannabis oil containing 100 mg cannabidiol (CBD) and 5 mg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on neurocognition, attention, and mood. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design assessed 31 healthy participants (16 female, 15 male), aged between 21 and 58 years, over a two-week experimental protocol. Neurocognitive performance outcomes were assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, and the Bond-Lader Visual Analogue Scale used to assess subjective state and mood. CannEpil increased Total Errors in Spatial Span and Correct Latency (median) in Pattern Recognition Memory, while also increasing Efficiency Score (lower score indicates greater efficiency) relative to placebo (all p < .05). Subjective Contentedness (p < .01) and Amicability (p < .05) were also increased at around 2.5 h post dosing, relative to placebo. Drowsiness or sedative effect was reported by 23 % of participants between three to six hours post CannEpil administration. Plasma concentrations of CBD, THC, and their metabolites were not significantly correlated with any observed alterations in neurocognition, subjective state, or adverse event occurrence. An acute dose of CannEpil impairs select aspects of visuospatial working memory and delayed pattern recognition, while largely preserving mood states among healthy individuals. Intermittent reports of drowsiness and sedation underscore the inter-individual variability of medicinal cannabis effects on subjective state. (ANZCTR; ACTRN12619000932167; https://www.anzctr.org.au).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on CBD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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and 8 more in the library