The primary objective of this study is to determine if increasing age confers greater vulnerability to the acute A) cognitive (e.g., memory, attention, psychomotor function), B) subjective (e.g., anxiogenic and rewarding effects), and C) cardiovascular (heart rate and blood pressure), effects of THC in adults \> 21 years old. The secondary aims of the study are to explore age-related acute effects of THC on electrophysiological indices of information processing (e.g., auditory steady-state response (ASSR), oddball paradigm \[P300\], and resting state cortical noise) and to determine age-related differences in the metabolism of THC.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
60
Active Delta-9-THC administered intravenously over 20 minutes.
Small amount of sterile ethanol (1-2 mLs), with no THC, administered intravenously over 20 minutes.
Active Delta-9-THC administered intravenously over 20 minutes
VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, Connecticut, United States
RECRUITINGRey Auditory Verbal Learning Task (RAVLT) total immediate recall
The task consists of 5 trials, an interference list, free delayed recall, and recognition.
Time frame: Each test day will be split into two drug administration sessions. The RAVLT will be administered approximately 25 minutes after each drug administration.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Various feeling states will be measured using a self-reported visual analog scale of feeling states (ex: "calm and relaxed", and "tired") associated with drug administration. Subjects will be asked to score the perceived intensity of these feeling states at that moment on a 100 mm line (0 = not at all, 100 = extremely). A higher score reflects a positive response.
Time frame: -60 minutes, 20 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, 170 minutes, 210 minutes, 270 minutes, 300 minutes, 360 minutes, 420 minutes after the start of the initial THC/placebo drug infusion.
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