Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract General population epidemiological studies have consistently found that cannabis use increases the risk of developing psychotic disorders in a dose-dependent manner. While the epidemiological signal between cannabis and psychosis has gained considerable attention, the biological mechanism whereby cannabis increases risk for psychosis remains poorly understood. Animal research suggests that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main psychoactive component of cannabis) increases dopamine levels in several regions of the brain, including striatal and prefrontal areas. Since dopamine is hypothesized to represent a crucial common final pathway between brain biology and actual experience of psychosis, a focus on dopamine may...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract In animal studies, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been found to affect brain morphology, particularly within areas rich in cannabinoid receptors (e.g., hippocampus, cerebral cortex). While cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, there has been limited work investigating its effects on human brain tissue. In this paper, we conducted a systematic review of existing structural magnetic resonance imaging studies to examine whether cannabis use is associated with significant changes in brain anatomy. We identified only 13 structural neuroimaging studies, which were diverse in terms of sample characteristics (e.g., age of participants, duration and frequency...

Abstract Objective Cannabis is associated with psychotic outcomes in numerous studies, an effect that is commonly attributed to Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9-THC). An increasing number of authors identify cannabidiol, another component of the cannabis plant, as an antipsychotic agent. The objective of the current study is to investigate the role of cannabidiol content in the association between cannabis use and psychiatric symptoms in a large non-clinical population of cannabis users. Methods In a web-based cross-sectional study we obtained detailed information about cannabis use and subclinical psychiatric experiences using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Different types of cannabis (i.e. marijuana, hashish etc.) have distinctive...

Abstract Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by anhedonia whereby patients experience little pleasure or reward in many aspects of their lives. Reward pathways and the endocannabionid system have been implicated in the mediation of food intake. The potential to exploit these systems to reverse weight loss is investigated in a rodent model of activity-based anorexia (ABA). The effect of subchronic (6 days) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) treatment (0.1, 0.5, or 2.0 mg/kg/day) was assessed on chow and high-fat diet (HFD) intake, body weight, running wheel activity (RWA) as well as thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and lipid metabolism in white adipose tissue (WAT). Limited time availability...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background As access to cannabis has increased, there has been a rise in a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). This study estimates annual prevalence of suspected CHS at emergency department visits (ED) over an 11-year period in Northern California. Methods This retrospective observational cohort study used electronic health records from Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Two CHS case definitions were used to construct two cohorts of adults (18+) with ≥1 CHS visits from 2009 to 2019. The primary definition used a narrow definition based on past studies (CHS group 1) and an exploratory definition allowed...

Abstract In parallel to the legalization of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, cannabinoid use has steadily increased over the last decade in the United States. Cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide, bind to the central cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor to impact several physiological processes relevant for body weight regulation, including appetite and energy expenditure. The hypothalamus integrates peripheral signals related to energy balance, houses several nuclei that orchestrate eating, and expresses the CB1 receptor. Herein we review literature to date concerning cannabinergic action in the hypothalamus with a specific focus on eating behaviors. We highlight hypothalamic areas wherein researchers have focused their attention,...

Abstract Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system and due to the empirical evidence of the therapeutic effects on several illnesses both in humans and animals that follow the administration of exogenous cannabinoids (i.e., phytocannabinoids), numerous studies have been conducted. These investigations aimed to identify the expression and distribution of cannabinoid receptors in healthy and pathologic organs and tissues of different animal species and to define the interactions of phytocannabinoids with these receptors. In the last decade, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and tolerability of many Cannabis derivatives formulations, mainly containing cannabidiol, in the main species of veterinary interest, have been also investigated. This manuscript summarizes the...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives  Studies of the neurocognitive impairments resulting from cannabis use have primarily depended on self-reports to classify heavy versus light cannabis use. Several factors such as body mass and individual differences in tetrahydro Cannabinol (THC) metabolism can lead to a large range of circulating levels of THC among persons who report similar cannabis use. This study examined decision-making and attention as a function of urine levels of THC in a sample of adolescents who reported similar frequency of cannabis use. Methods  Adolescents who reported cannabis use at least 4 days per week were assigned to...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is one of the main causes of car accidents. Alcohol and marijuana are the most popular drugs among recreational users. Many classify these drugs as “Light” drugs and therefore allow themselves to drive after consuming them. Objective The study had two main objectives: 1) to investigate the effect of alcohol (BAC = 0.05%), THC (13 mg) and their combination on driving and non-driving tasks. 2) to investigate the extent to which people are willing to drive based on their subjective sensations and their perceived effects of the drugs. Method 7...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Rationale The interactions between Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) during chronic treatment, and at equivalent doses, are not well characterised in animal models. Objectives The aim of this study is to examine whether the behavioural effects of THC, and blood and brain THC levels are affected by pre-treatment with equivalent CBD doses. Methods Adolescent rats were treated with ascending daily THC doses over 21 days (1 then 3 then 10 mg/kg). Some rats were given equivalent CBD doses 20 min prior to each THC injection to allow examination of possible antagonistic effects of CBD. During dosing, rats were...