The goal of the study is to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying the rewarding, reinforcing properties of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, among healthy young adults.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
141
A capsule that contains only dextrose filler administered during the first or second laboratory visit.
A capsule that contains 7.5 mg of THC as well as dextrose filler administered during the first or second laboratory visit.
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Neural reward response- Reward Positivity (RewP) event-related potential
Participants will complete the Doors task during electroencephalogram (EEG) capturing the RewP, with higher values indicating greater neural response to reward
Time frame: First and second laboratory visits, around 90 minutes to 2 hours after drug administration. Outcome measure is change from placebo session RewP to THC session RewP.
Neural reward response- blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response
Participants will complete the Doors task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) capturing BOLD response, with higher values indicating greater BOLD activation to reward
Time frame: First and second laboratory visits, around 90 minutes to 2 hours after drug administration. Outcome measure is change from placebo session BOLD response to THC session BOLD response.
Subjective drug response- Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI)- Morphine Benzedrine Group (MBG) subscale
Participants will complete the ARCI-MBG self-report scale, with higher values reflecting more drug-induced euphoria
Time frame: First and second laboratory visit, at baseline (Time 0) and at peak drug response (90-120 minutes) after drug administration. Outcome measure is change in peak score during placebo (peak minus baseline) compared to change in peak score during THC
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