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Karunakaran KD, Pascale M, Ozana N, Potter K, Pachas GN, Evins AE, Gilman JM. Intoxication due to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol is characterized by disrupted prefrontal cortex activity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01876-5. [PMID: 38714786 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01876-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024]
Abstract
Neural states of impairment from intoxicating substances, including cannabis, are poorly understood. Cannabinoid 1 receptors, the main target of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, are densely localized within prefrontal cortex; therefore, prefrontal brain regions are key locations to examine brain changes that characterize acute intoxication. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, cross-over study in adults, aged 18-55 years, who use cannabis regularly, to determine the effects of acute intoxication on prefrontal cortex resting-state measures, assessed with portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Participants received oral THC (10-80 mg, individually dosed to overcome tolerance and achieve acute intoxication) and identical placebo, randomized for order; 185 adults were randomized and 128 completed both study days and had usable data. THC was associated with expected increases in subjective intoxication ratings (ES = 35.30, p < 0.001) and heart rate (ES = 11.15, p = 0.001). THC was associated with decreased correlations and anticorrelations in static resting-state functional connectivity within the prefrontal cortex relative to placebo, with weakest correlations and anticorrelations among those who reported greater severity of intoxication (RSFC between medial PFC-ventromedial PFC and DEQ scores, r = 0.32, p < 0.001; RSFC between bilateral mPFC and DEQ scores, r = -0.28, p = 0.001). Relative to placebo, THC was associated with increased variability (or reduced stability) in dynamic resting-state functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex at p = 0.001, consistent across a range of window sizes. Finally, using frequency power spectrum analyses, we observed that relative to placebo, THC was associated with widespread reduced spectral power within the prefrontal cortex across the 0.073-0.1 Hz frequency range at p < 0.039. These neural features suggest a disruptive influence of THC on the neural dynamics of the prefrontal cortex and may underlie cognitive impairing effects of THC that are detectable with portable imaging. This study is registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03655717).
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Affiliation(s)
- Keerthana Deepti Karunakaran
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Pascale
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nisan Ozana
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Faculty of Engineering and The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Kevin Potter
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gladys N Pachas
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Eden Evins
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jodi M Gilman
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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2
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Rozanc J, Klumpers LE, Huestis MA, Tagen M. Tolerability of High-Dose Oral Δ 9-THC: Implications for Human Laboratory Study Design. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:437-448. [PMID: 38377580 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary intoxicating compound in cannabis, has been tested extensively in controlled administration human studies. Some studies require a high THC dose that may induce adverse events (AEs), such as those testing novel treatments for cannabinoid overdose. Although there are ethical concerns related to administering high THC doses, there is no systematic analysis on studies utilizing these doses. In this review, we examine studies that administered oral THC doses ≥30 mg ("high-dose THC"), focusing on reported tolerability, subjective effects, and pharmacokinetics (PK), with the objective to inform the design of future studies. Methods: A comprehensive PubMed search was performed to identify studies meeting pre-specified criteria. Results: Our search identified 27 publications from 17 high-dose oral THC laboratory studies, with single doses up to 90 mg and multiple doses up to 210 mg per day. The maximum plasma THC concentration (Cmax) appeared to increase in a dose-proportional manner over this dose range. All high-dose THC studies enrolled participants with previous cannabis experience, although current use ranged from nonusers to regular cannabis users. High-dose THC was generally well tolerated with transient mild to moderate AE, including nausea and vomiting, anxiety, paranoia, and sedation. There were occasional participant withdrawals due to AEs, but there were no serious AE. Participants with frequent cannabis use tolerated high-dose THC best. Conclusion: Although based on limited data, THC was generally adequately tolerated with single oral doses of at least 50 mg in a controlled laboratory setting in healthy participants with past cannabis experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rozanc
- Verdient Science LLC, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Linda E Klumpers
- Verdient Science LLC, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Institute of Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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3
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Story G, Briere CE, McClements DJ, Sela DA. Cannabidiol and Intestinal Motility: a Systematic Review. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:101972. [PMID: 37786751 PMCID: PMC10541995 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.101972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis plant that is used for medicinal purposes. Ingestion of CBD is claimed to address several pathologies, including gastrointestinal disorders, although limited evidence has been generated thus far to substantiate many of its health claims. Nevertheless, CBD usage as an over-the-counter treatment for gastrointestinal disorders is likely to expand in response to increasing commercial availability, permissive legal status, and acceptance by consumers. This systematic review critically evaluates the knowledge boundaries of the published research on CBD, intestinal motility, and intestinal motility disorders. Research on CBD and intestinal motility is currently limited but does support the safety and efficacy of CBD for several therapeutic applications, including seizure disorders, inflammatory responses, and upper gastrointestinal dysfunction (i.e., nausea and vomiting). CBD, therefore, may have therapeutic potential for addressing functional gastrointestinal disorders. The results of this review show promising in vitro and preclinical data supporting a role of CBD in intestinal motility. This includes improved gastrointestinal-related outcomes in murine models of colitis. These studies, however, vary by dose, delivery method, and CBD-extract composition. Clinical trials have yet to find a conclusive benefit of CBD on intestinal motility disorders, but these trials have been limited in scope. In addition, critical factors such as CBD dosing parameters have not yet been established. Further research will establish the efficacy of CBD in applications to address intestinal motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galaxie Story
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Carrie-Ellen Briere
- Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - D. Julian McClements
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - David A. Sela
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
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4
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Ferré S, Köfalvi A, Ciruela F, Justinova Z, Pistis M. Targeting corticostriatal transmission for the treatment of cannabinoid use disorder. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:495-506. [PMID: 37331914 PMCID: PMC10524660 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
It is generally assumed that the rewarding effects of cannabinoids are mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) the activation of which disinhibits dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, this mechanism cannot fully explain novel results indicating that dopaminergic neurons also mediate the aversive effects of cannabinoids in rodents, and previous results showing that preferentially presynaptic adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonists counteract self-administration of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in nonhuman primates (NHPs). Based on recent experiments in rodents and imaging studies in humans, we propose that the activation of frontal corticostriatal glutamatergic transmission constitutes an additional and necessary mechanism. Here, we review evidence supporting the involvement of cortical astrocytic CB1Rs in the activation of corticostriatal neurons and that A2AR receptor heteromers localized in striatal glutamatergic terminals mediate the counteracting effects of the presynaptic A2AR antagonists, constituting potential targets for the treatment of cannabinoid use disorder (CUD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Ferré
- Integrative Neurobiology Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Attila Köfalvi
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Ciruela
- Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Program, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Zuzana Justinova
- Division of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry (PPBC), National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marco Pistis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy
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Castillo A, Dubois J, Field RM, Fishburn F, Gundran A, Ho WC, Jawhar S, Kates-Harbeck J, M Aghajan Z, Miller N, Perdue KL, Phillips J, Ryan WC, Shafiei M, Scholkmann F, Taylor M. Measuring acute effects of subanesthetic ketamine on cerebrovascular hemodynamics in humans using TD-fNIRS. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11665. [PMID: 37468572 PMCID: PMC10356754 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38258-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying neural activity in natural conditions (i.e. conditions comparable to the standard clinical patient experience) during the administration of psychedelics may further our scientific understanding of the effects and mechanisms of action. This data may facilitate the discovery of novel biomarkers enabling more personalized treatments and improved patient outcomes. In this single-blind, placebo-controlled study with a non-randomized design, we use time-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-fNIRS) to measure acute brain dynamics after intramuscular subanesthetic ketamine (0.75 mg/kg) and placebo (saline) administration in healthy participants (n = 15, 8 females, 7 males, age 32.4 ± 7.5 years) in a clinical setting. We found that the ketamine administration caused an altered state of consciousness and changes in systemic physiology (e.g. increase in pulse rate and electrodermal activity). Furthermore, ketamine led to a brain-wide reduction in the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations, and a decrease in the global brain connectivity of the prefrontal region. Lastly, we provide preliminary evidence that a combination of neural and physiological metrics may serve as predictors of subjective mystical experiences and reductions in depressive symptomatology. Overall, our study demonstrated the successful application of fNIRS neuroimaging to study the physiological effects of the psychoactive substance ketamine in humans, and can be regarded as an important step toward larger scale clinical fNIRS studies that can quantify the impact of psychedelics on the brain in standard clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julien Dubois
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Ryan M Field
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Frank Fishburn
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Andrew Gundran
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Wilson C Ho
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Sami Jawhar
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | | | - Zahra M Aghajan
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Naomi Miller
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | | | - Jake Phillips
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Wesley C Ryan
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Mahdi Shafiei
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
| | - Felix Scholkmann
- Scholkmann Data Analysis Services, Scientific Consulting and Physical Engineering, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neurophotonics and Biosignal Processing Research Group, Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Moriah Taylor
- Kernel, 5042 Wilshire Blvd, #26878, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA
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Springer SD, Spooner RK, Schantell M, Arif Y, Frenzel MR, Eastman JA, Wilson TW. Regular recreational Cannabis users exhibit altered neural oscillatory dynamics during attention reorientation. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1205-1214. [PMID: 34889178 PMCID: PMC9250753 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and is often associated with changes in attention function, which may ultimately impact numerous other cognitive faculties (e.g. memory, executive function). Importantly, despite the increasing rates of cannabis use and widespread legalization in the United States, the neural mechanisms underlying attentional dysfunction in chronic users are poorly understood. METHODS We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a modified Posner cueing task in 21 regular cannabis users and 32 demographically matched non-user controls. MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain using a beamformer and peak voxel time series were extracted to quantify the oscillatory dynamics underlying use-related aberrations in attentional reorienting, as well as the impact on spontaneous neural activity immediately preceding stimulus onset. RESULTS Behavioral performance on the task (e.g. reaction time) was similar between regular cannabis users and non-user controls. However, the neural data indicated robust theta-band synchronizations across a distributed network during attentional reorienting, with activity in the bilateral inferior frontal gyri being markedly stronger in users relative to controls (p's < 0.036). Additionally, we observed significantly reduced spontaneous theta activity across this distributed network during the pre-stimulus baseline in cannabis users relative to controls (p's < 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Despite similar performance on the task, we observed specific alterations in the neural dynamics serving attentional reorienting in regular cannabis users compared to controls. These data suggest that regular cannabis users may employ compensatory processing in the prefrontal cortices to efficiently reorient their attention relative to non-user controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D. Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Rachel K. Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Michaela R. Frenzel
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jacob A. Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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7
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Ortega-Martinez A, Rogers D, Anderson J, Farzam P, Gao Y, Zimmermann B, Yücel MA, Boas DA. How much do time-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) moments improve estimation of brain activity over traditional fNIRS? NEUROPHOTONICS 2023; 10:013504. [PMID: 36284602 PMCID: PMC9587749 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.10.1.013504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Advances in electronics have allowed the recent development of compact, high channel count time domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-fNIRS) systems. Temporal moment analysis has been proposed for increased brain sensitivity due to the depth selectivity of higher order temporal moments. We propose a general linear model (GLM) incorporating TD moment data and auxiliary physiological measurements, such as short separation channels, to improve the recovery of the HRF. AIMS We compare the performance of previously reported multi-distance TD moment techniques to commonly used techniques for continuous wave (CW) fNIRS hemodynamic response function (HRF) recovery, namely block averaging and CW GLM. Additionally, we compare the multi-distance TD moment technique to TD moment GLM. APPROACH We augmented resting TD-fNIRS moment data (six subjects) with known synthetic HRFs. We then employed block averaging and GLM techniques with "short-separation regression" designed both for CW and TD to recover the HRFs. We calculated the root mean square error (RMSE) and the correlation of the recovered HRF to the ground truth. We compared the performance of equivalent CW and TD techniques with paired t-tests. RESULTS We found that, on average, TD moment HRF recovery improves correlations by 98% and 48% for HbO and HbR respectively, over CW GLM. The improvement on the correlation for TD GLM over TD moment is 12% (HbO) and 27% (HbR). RMSE decreases 56% and 52% (HbO and HbR) for TD moment compared to CW GLM. We found no statistically significant improvement in the RMSE for TD GLM compared to TD moment. CONCLUSIONS Properly covariance-scaled TD moment techniques outperform their CW equivalents in both RMSE and correlation in the recovery of the synthetic HRFs. Furthermore, our proposed TD GLM based on moments outperforms regular TD moment analysis, while allowing the incorporation of auxiliary measurements of the confounding physiological signals from the scalp.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - De’Ja Rogers
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jessica Anderson
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Parya Farzam
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Bernhard Zimmermann
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Meryem A. Yücel
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - David A. Boas
- Boston University Neurophotonics Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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8
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Brooks-Russell A, Holdman R, Whitehill JM. Approaches to Measuring Cannabis Use in Injury Research: Beyond Drug Detection. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40471-022-00314-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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9
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Gilman JM, Schmitt WA, Potter K, Kendzior B, Pachas GN, Hickey S, Makary M, Huestis MA, Evins AE. Identification of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairment using functional brain imaging. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:944-952. [PMID: 34999737 PMCID: PMC8882180 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01259-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The primary cannabinoid in cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), causes intoxication and impaired function, with implications for traffic, workplace, and other situational safety risks. There are currently no evidence-based methods to detect cannabis-impaired driving, and current field sobriety tests with gold-standard, drug recognition evaluations are resource-intensive and may be prone to bias. This study evaluated the capability of a simple, portable imaging method to accurately detect individuals with THC impairment. In this double-blind, randomized, cross-over study, 169 cannabis users, aged 18-55 years, underwent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) before and after receiving oral THC and placebo, at study visits one week apart. Impairment was defined by convergent classification by consensus clinical ratings and an algorithm based on post-dose tachycardia and self-rated "high." Our primary outcome, prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (HbO), was increased after THC only in participants operationalized as impaired, independent of THC dose. ML models using fNIRS time course features and connectivity matrices identified impairment with 76.4% accuracy, 69.8% positive predictive value (PPV), and 10% false-positive rate using convergent classification as ground truth, which exceeded Drug Recognition Evaluator-conducted expanded field sobriety examination (67.8% accuracy, 35.4% PPV, and 35.4% false-positive rate). These findings demonstrate that PFC response activation patterns and connectivity produce a neural signature of impairment, and that PFC signal, measured with fNIRS, can be used as a sole input to ML models to objectively determine impairment from THC intoxication at the individual level. Future work is warranted to determine the specificity of this classifier to acute THC impairment.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03655717.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi M Gilman
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
| | - William A Schmitt
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Potter
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Gladys N Pachas
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Hickey
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meena Makary
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Institute of Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A Eden Evins
- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Rangel-Pacheco A, Lew BJ, Schantell MD, Frenzel MR, Eastman JA, Wiesman AI, Wilson TW. Altered fronto-occipital connectivity during visual selective attention in regular cannabis users. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:1351-1361. [PMID: 33241479 PMCID: PMC8068572 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05717-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Cognitive processing impairments have been associated with acute cannabis use, but there is mixed evidence regarding the cognitive effects of chronic cannabis use. Several neuroimaging studies have noted selective-attention processing differences in those who chronically use cannabis, but the neural dynamics governing the altered processing is unclear. METHODS Twenty-four adults reporting at least weekly cannabis use in the past 6 months on the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test - Revised were compared to 24 demographically matched controls who reported no prior cannabis use. All participants completed a visual selective attention processing task while undergoing magnetoencephalography. Time-frequency windows of interest were identified using a data-driven method, and spectrally specific neural activity was imaged using a beamforming approach. RESULTS All participants performed within normal range on the cognitive task. Regular cannabis users displayed an aberrant cognitive interference effect in the theta (4-8 Hz) frequency range shortly after stimulus onset (i.e., 0-250 ms) in the right occipital cortex. Cannabis users also exhibited altered functional connectivity between the right prefrontal cortex and right occipital cortices in comparison to controls. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with a history of regular cannabis use exhibited abnormal theta interference activity in the occipital cortices, as well as altered prefrontal-occipital functional connectivity in the theta range during a visual selective attention task. Such differences may reflect compensatory processing, as these participants performed within normal range on the task. Understanding the neural dynamics in chronic, regular cannabis users may provide insight on how long-term and/or frequent use may affect neural networks underlying cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abril Rangel-Pacheco
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brandon J. Lew
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Mikki D. Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Michaela R. Frenzel
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jacob A. Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Alex I. Wiesman
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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