Cannabis Use Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
Alcohol and cannabis are often used together such that their effects overlap, but little is known about the neural mechanisms that underlie simultaneous use. High doses of THC have not been well-studied in the laboratory, and it is unclear how high doses of THC may impact alcohol consumption patterns. The proposed study will explore the effects of oral THC (20mg dronabinol) vs. placebo on neural reward, alcohol self-administration and naturalistic co-use patterns.
Detailed description
Participants will undergo a screening assessment, baseline session and two laboratory visits. The laboratory visits will involve an MRI scan and the opportunity to consume alcohol in our BAR lab. Prior to the MRI, participants will consume, a placebo (0mg) or high (20mg) dose of oral THC (dronabinol). Visits will be separated by 7 to 14 days. Dronabinol is an FDA-approved product that will be dispensed by our on-campus pharmacy
Interventions
DRUGDronabinol Pill
Dronabinol 20 mg
DRUGPlacebo
placebo
Sponsors
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Colorado State University
University of Colorado, Denver
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Drink alcohol * Use cannabis * Contact site for additional details
Exclusion criteria
* MRI contraindications (implanted metal, weight \> 315 lb, etc.). * Contact site for additional details
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in alcohol cue-elicited brain activation (fMRI) between medication periods | 1 hour after administration of a single dose of study medication at 7 days, 14 days. | Alcohol cue reactivity task BOLD signal to alcohol cues, relative to neutral beverage cues |
| Change in cannabis cue-elicited brain activation (fMRI) between medication periods | 1 hour after administration of a single dose of study medication at 7 days, 14 days. | Cannabis cue reactivity task BOLD signal to cannabis cues, relative to neutral cues |
| Alcohol self-administration | 3-4 hours after administration of a single dose of study medication at 7 days, 14 days. | Number of drinks self-administered |
| Self-reported alcoholic drinks consumed | one report per day for the 14 days after the final laboratory visit on day 14. | \# of drinks consumed per day |
| Self-reported cannabis use | One report per day for the 14 days after the final laboratory visit on day 14 | Amount of cannabis consumed per day |
| Self-reported cannabis and alcohol co-use | One report per day for the 14 days after the final laboratory visit on day 14. | Number of days in which cannabis and alcohol were both used |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactElnaz Nourollahimoghadam
Outcome results
None listed