Nabilone produces marked impairments to cognitive function and changes in subjective state in healthy volunteers.
K A Wesnes, P Annas, C J Edgar, C Deeprose, R Karlsten, A Philipp, J Kalliomäki, M Segerdahl
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) November 2010 DOI: 10.1177/0269881109105900 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial (crossover) Placebo-controlled Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy male volunteers |
| Intervention | Nabilone |
| Dose | 1-3 mg |
| Measures | Cognitive Drug Research computerised system (CDR system), self-ratings of mood, alertness, and perceived drug effects |
| Key findings | Nabilone at doses of 1-3 mg impaired attention, working memory, and episodic memory and reduced self-rated alertness in healthy male volunteers, while also producing subjective drug effects. |
Abstract
This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study of the acute cognitive and subjective effects of nabilone 1-3 mg in healthy male volunteers. The Cognitive Drug Research computerised system (CDR system) was used to assess changes in attention, working and episodic memory. In addition, a number of self-ratings were conducted including those of mood, alertness and perceived drug effects. Impairments to attention, working and episodic memory and self-ratings of alertness were evident. Volunteers also experienced a number of subjective drug effects. These data demonstrate that acute doses of nabilone in the range 1-3 mg produce clear cognitive and subjective effects in healthy volunteers, and therefore they may be used as reference data in the future study of peripherally acting cannabinoids believed to be free from such effects.