Effect of oral THC pretreatment on marijuana cue-induced responses in cannabis dependent volunteers.
Leslie H. Lundahl, Mark K Greenwald
Drug and Alcohol Dependence April 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.01.046 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Placebo-controlled within-subject crossover experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Cannabis-dependent adults (7 males, 7 females) smoking on average 5.4 ± 1.1 blunts daily |
| Dose | 0-, 10-, and 20-mg oral THC |
| Measures | Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ)-Compulsivity scale, subjective ratings of mood, craving, and drug effect, physiological measures (heart rate, diastolic blood pressure) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cannabis dependence Craving Cues Dronabinol |
| Key findings | Marijuana cues increased craving, anxiety, and hunger relative to neutral cues. Oral THC pretreatment (10 mg and/or 20 mg) attenuated cue-induced craving and anxiety but not hunger, with the reduction in MCQ-Compulsivity ratings seen only in females. The authors suggest oral THC may reduce marijuana cue-elicited conditioned effects and that females may selectively benefit, though further study is needed. |
Abstract
The current study tested whether oral Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC: 0-, 10-, and 20-mg) pretreatment would attenuate polysensory cue-induced craving for marijuana. Cannabis dependent participants (7 males and 7 females, who smoked on average 5.4 ± 1.1 blunts daily) completed 3 experimental sessions (oral THC pretreatment dose; counterbalanced order) using a placebo-controlled within-subject crossover design. During each session, participants completed a baseline evaluation and were first exposed to neutral cues then marijuana cues while physiological measures and subjective ratings of mood, craving, and drug effect were recorded. Following placebo oral THC pretreatment, marijuana (vs. neutral) cues significantly increased ratings of marijuana craving (desire and urge to use, Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ)-Compulsivity scale), anxious mood and feeling hungry. Males also reported feeling more "Down" during marijuana cues relative to females. Pretreatment with oral THC (10-mg and/or 20-mg vs. placebo) significantly attenuated marijuana cue-induced increases in craving and anxiety but not hunger. Oral THC attenuation of the cue-induced increase in MCQ-Compulsivity ratings was observed in females only. Oral THC produced statistically (but not clinically) significant increases in heart rate and decreases in diastolic blood pressure, independent of cues. These marijuana-cue findings replicate earlier results and further demonstrate that oral THC can attenuate selected effects during marijuana multi-cue exposure, and that some of these effects may be sex-related. Results of this study suggest oral THC may be effective for reducing marijuana cue-elicited (conditioned) effects. Further study is needed to determine whether females may selectively benefit from oral THC for this purpose.
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 2
Cites 3
- The dose effects of short-term dronabinol (oral THC) maintenance in daily cannabis users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence February 1, 2013
- Dronabinol for the treatment of cannabis dependence: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence July 1, 2011
- Effects of oral THC maintenance on smoked marijuana self-administration. Drug and Alcohol Dependence August 1, 2002