Healthy Volunteer
Conditions
Keywords
THC, CBD, Cannabis, Stress, Anxiety
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to learn about the body's response to cannabis based products in sleep deprived people who are currently experiencing anxiety but are otherwise healthy.
Detailed description
Rationale The stress response is a biological cascade of physiological, psychological and behavioural processes allowing individuals to detect, interpret and react to perceived or actual threat. In the modern world, sleep loss is increasingly common, can be caused by stress, and can exaggerate the stress response in otherwise healthy individuals. Previous research using sleep restriction approaches has demonstrated that a loss of sleep reliably increases physical and psychological feelings of stress. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a network of receptors that regulates both the stress response and sleep processes, making it a suitable target to allow the study of these processes. Cannabinoids are compounds naturally occurring in the Cannabis plant that act on the ECS. Approach This study will investigate the effects of different cannabinoid oils on physiological and psychological measures of stress following sleep restriction. Participants will be healthy adults between the ages of 18-60 who are currently experiencing higher than average stress. Participants will undergo a previously validated sleep restriction paradigm (sleeping for 4 hours only) prior to the experimental session. This will allow the research team to safely replicate heightened stress related to poor sleep. Participants will be enrolled in the study for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 9 days.
Interventions
DRUGTHC
2.5mg tetrahydrocannabinol oil
DRUGCBD
300mg cannabidiol oil
DRUGTHC + CBD
2.5mg THC + 300mg CBD
DRUGPlacebo
Placebo oil
Sponsors
King's College London
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
1. Aged 18-60 2. Currently experiencing higher than average anxiety (measured by a score of ≥10 on the GAD-7) 3. Able and willing to restrict their sleep to 4 hours on one occasion 4. Willing to restrict alcohol and recreational drug intake during time on the study, confirmed by negative urine drug screen on the day of the experimental session 5. Own a functioning phone and be able to respond to text messages 6. Willing to provide GP details 7. Willing to provide an emergency contact 8. Able to provide written informed consent 9. Willing to use a highly effective contraceptive method (see Section 5.2.2) for the duration of the study.
Exclusion criteria
1. Currently receiving any treatment for any psychiatric disorder (medication and/or professional psychotherapy for a mental disorder) 2. Any cannabinoid use in the past 3 months, including CBD oil, medical cannabinoids or recreational cannabis/THC use 3. Cannabinoid contraindications: lifetime history of psychosis, 1st degree relative with psychosis, lifetime substance use disorder (that was professionally treated) 4. History of consistent (\>12 months) monthly cannabis use 5. Currently experiencing insomnia or irregular sleep pattern (e.g. night shift work) 6. Sleep restriction contraindications (sleep apnoea, sleep movement disorder, night shift work, insomnia) 7. Have excessive daily caffeine intake (\>4 cups of coffee per day or equivalent) 8. Unlikely to be able to complete the study procedures for any reason, as judged by the study team 9. Currently pregnant or lactating 10. Currently trying to conceive a child Additional criteria which must be met on experimental visits: 1. Negative urine drug screen 2. Negative urine pregnancy test 3. Negative alcohol breath test
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Threat-minus-safe tonic skin conductance level difference score, measured in μS | 90-150minutes post dose | Electrodermal activity will be recorded using electrodes on the palms. The skin conductance level is the tonic galvanic skin response, a physiological measurement of how the electrical conductivity of the skin changes in response physical stimuli (mild electric shocks) |
Countries
United Kingdom
Contacts
CONTACTCatherine I V Bird, MSc
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORWill Lawn, PhD
King's College London
Outcome results
None listed