Abstract Background: Around 2% of the population have intellectual disabilities. Over one-third people with intellectual disabilities (PwID) present with 'challenging behaviour', which nosologically and diagnostically is an abstract concept. Challenging behaviour is influenced by a range of bio-psycho-social factors in a population, which is unable to suitably comprehend and/or communicate concerns. This predisposes to poor health and social outcomes. There is no evidence-based treatments for managing challenging behaviour. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are being trialled for a range of disorders, which are over-represented in PwID and provoke challenging behaviours, such as severe epilepsy, spasticity, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, pain, etc. Methods: This perspective review...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most represented phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa plants. However, CBD may present with a different activity compared with the psychotomimetic THC. Most typically, CBD is reported to be used in some medical conditions, including chronic pain. Conversely, the main aim of this systematic review is to assess and summarise the available body of evidence relating to both efficacy and safety of CBD as a treatment for psychiatric disorders, alone and/or in combination with other treatments. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the effect of CBD in a range...

Abstract Aims Severe behavioural problems (SBP) are a major contributor to morbidity in children with intellectual disability (ID). Medications used to treat SBP in ID are associated with a high risk of side effects. Cannabidiol has potential therapeutic effects in SBP. This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility of conducting a randomised placebo-controlled trial of cannabidiol to reduce SBP in children with ID. Methods This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-armed, parallel-design, randomised controlled trial of cannabidiol in children aged 8–16 years with ID and SBP. Participants were randomised 1:1 to receive either 98% cannabidiol in oil (Tilray, Canada) or placebo orally for 8...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract The use of cannabis during pregnancy is a growing public health concern. As more countries implement legislation permitting recreational cannabis use, there is an urgent need to better understand its impact on fetal neurodevelopment and its long-term effects in exposed offspring. Studies examining effects of prenatal cannabis exposure typically employ injections of synthetic cannabinoids or isolated cannabis constituents that may not accurately model cannabis use in human populations. To address this limitation, we developed a novel e-cigarette technology-based system to deliver vaporized cannabis extracts to pregnant Long Evans rats. We used this model to determine effects of prenatal cannabis exposure...

Abstract Cannabis/cannabinoids are widely used for recreational and therapy purposes, but their risks are largely disregarded. However, cannabinoid-associated use disorders and dependence are alarmingly increasing and an effective treatment is lacking. Recently, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR1A) antagonism was proposed as a promising mechanism for drug addiction therapy. However, the role of GHS-R1A and its endogenous ligand ghrelin in cannabinoid abuse remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate whether the GHS-R1A antagonist JMV2959 could reduce the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and behavioral stimulation, the WIN55,212-2 intravenous self-administration (IVSA), and the tendency to relapse. Following an ongoing WIN55,212-2...

Cannabis is commonly used, and use may be increasing in the setting of increasing legalization and social acceptance. The scope of the effects of cannabis products, including varieties with higher or lower levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), on domains related to addictive behavior deserves attention, particularly as legalization continues. Cannabis use may impact neural underpinnings of cognitive functions linked to propensities to engage in addictive behaviors. Here we consider these neurocognitive processes within the framework of the dual-process model of addictions. In this mini-review, we describe data on the relationships between two main constituents of cannabis (THC and CBD) and neural correlates...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background: THC and CBD are the principal phyto-cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. The differential and possibly antagonistic effects of these compounds on specific brain and behavioral responses, and the mechanisms underlying their effects have generated extensive interest in pre-clinical and clinical neuroscience investigations. Methods: In this double-blind randomized placebo-controlled counterbalanced Human Laboratory Study, we examined the effects of three different dose ratios of CBD:THC (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) on "neural noise," an electrophysiological biomarker of psychosis known to be sensitive to cannabinoids as well as subjective and psychotomimetic effects. Healthy volunteers (n=28, 12 women) with at least one...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabinoids produce both rewarding and aversive effects in humans and experimental animals. However, the mechanisms underlying these conflicting findings are unclear. Here we examined the potential involvement of CB1 and CB2 receptors in cannabinoid action using transgenic CB1-knockout (CB1-KO) and CB2-knockout (CB2-KO) mice. We found that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) induced conditioned place preference at a low dose (1 mg/kg) in WT mice that was attenuated by deletion of the CB1 receptor. At 5 mg/kg, no subjective effects of Δ9-THC were detected in WT mice, but CB1-KO mice exhibited a trend towards place aversion and CB2-KO mice developed significant place preferences. This data suggests that activation of the CB1 receptor...