Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol induces dopamine release in the human striatum.
Matthijs G. Bossong, Bart N M Van Berckel, Ronald Boellaard, Lineke Zuurman, Robert C Schuit, Albert D Windhorst, Joop van Gerven, Nick F. Ramsey, Adriaan A Lammertsma, René S. Kahn
Neuropsychopharmacology February 2009 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2008.138 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Healthy human subjects |
| Measures | [11C]raclopride binding |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | THC inhalation reduced [11C]raclopride binding in the ventral striatum and precommissural dorsal putamen, indicating increased dopamine release, but not in other striatal subregions. The authors propose that THC shares addictive potential with other drugs of abuse and that the endogenous cannabinoid system regulates striatal dopamine release. |
Abstract
The influence of cannabis on mental health receives growing scientific and political attention. An increasing demand for treatment of cannabis dependence has refueled the discussion about the addictive potential of cannabis. A key feature of all addictive drugs is the ability to increase synaptic dopamine levels in the striatum, a mechanism involved in their rewarding and motivating effects. However, it is currently unknown if cannabis can stimulate striatal dopamine neurotransmission in humans. Here we show that Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component in cannabis, induces dopamine release in the human striatum. Using the dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor tracer [(11)C]raclopride and positron emission tomography in seven healthy subjects, we demonstrate that THC inhalation reduces [(11)C]raclopride binding in the ventral striatum and the precommissural dorsal putamen but not in other striatal subregions. This is consistent with an increase in dopamine levels in these regions. These results suggest that THC shares a potentially addictive property with other drugs of abuse. Further, it implies that the endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in regulating striatal dopamine release. This allows new directions in research on the effects of THC in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 83
- High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2009
- Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Journal of Psychopharmacology October 5, 2012
- From drugs to deprivation: a Bayesian framework for understanding models of psychosis Psychopharmacology May 27, 2009
- Gone to Pot – A Review of the Association between Cannabis and Psychosis Frontiers in Psychiatry May 22, 2014
- The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies Pharmacology & Therapeutics October 20, 2018
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Cites 9
- Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence The British Journal of Psychiatry January 30, 2004
- Psychedelic Effects of Ketamine in Healthy Volunteers Anesthesiology 1998
- Neurophysiological and subjective profile of marijuana with varying concentrations of cannabinoids Behavioural Pharmacology September 1, 2005
- Effect of intrapulmonary tetrahydrocannabinol administration in humans. Journal of Psychopharmacology September 2008
- Modelling of the concentration--effect relationship of THC on central nervous system parameters and heart rate -- insight into its mechanisms of action and a tool for clinical research and development of cannabinoids. Journal of Psychopharmacology September 2008
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