The acute effects of cannabis, with and without cannabidiol, on attentional bias to cannabis related cues: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study

Daniel Hall; Will Lawn; Shelan Ofori; Katie Trinci; Anya Borissova; Claire Mokrysz; Kat Petrilli; Michael A P Bloomfield; Matthew B Wall; Tom P Freeman; H Valerie Curran

doi:10.1007/s00213-024-06543-7

The acute effects of cannabis, with and without cannabidiol, on attentional bias to cannabis related cues: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2024 Jun;241(6):1125-1134. doi: 10.1007/s00213-024-06543-7. Epub 2024 Feb 28.

Authors

Daniel Hall^{1

2}, Will Lawn^{1

3}, Shelan Ofori¹, Katie Trinci¹, Anya Borissova^{4

5}, Claire Mokrysz¹, Kat Petrilli⁶, Michael A P Bloomfield^{1

5

7}, Matthew B Wall^{1

8}, Tom P Freeman^{1

6}, H Valerie Curran⁹

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
² Daniel Hall, Springfield University Hospital, 15 Springfield Drive, London, SW17 0YF, UK.
³ Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK.
⁵ NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, UK.
⁶ Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, London, UK.
⁷ Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
⁸ Invicro London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
⁹ Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK. v.curran@ucl.ac.uk.

Abstract

Rationale: Attentional bias to drug-related stimuli is hypothesised to contribute towards addiction. However, the acute effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on attentional bias to cannabis cues, the differential response in adults and adolescents, and the moderating effect of cannabidiol (CBD) are unknown.

Objectives: Our study investigated (1) the acute effects of vaporised cannabis on attentional bias to cannabis-related images in adults and adolescents and (2) the moderating influences of age and CBD.

Methods: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study where three weight-adjusted vaporised cannabis preparations: 'THC' (8 mg THC for a 75-kg person), 'THC + CBD' (8 mg THC and 24 mg CBD for a 75-kg person) and PLA (matched placebo). Cannabis was administered on 3 separate days to 48 participants, who used cannabis 0.5-3 days/week: 24 adolescents (12 females, aged 16-17) and 24 adults (12 females, aged 26-29). Participants completed a visual probe task with cannabis cues. Our primary outcome was attentional bias to cannabis stimuli, measured using the differential reaction time to a cannabis vs. neutral probe, on 200-ms trials.

Results: In contrast to hypotheses, attention was directed away from cannabis cues on placebo, and there was a main effect of the drug (F(2,92) = 3.865, p = 0.024, η²_p = 0.077), indicating THC administration eliminated this bias. There was no significant impact of CBD nor an age-by-drug interaction.

Conclusions: Acute THC intoxication eliminated attentional bias away from cannabis cues. There was no evidence of differential response in adolescents compared to adults and no evidence that a moderate vaporised dose of CBD altered the impact of cannabis on attentional bias.

Trial registration: This study was listed with the US National Library of Medicine and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, URL: Do Adolescents and Adults Differ in Their Acute Response to Cannabis?-Full Text View-ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT04851392.

Keywords: Adolescence; Attentional bias; CBD; Cannabis; THC.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Attention / drug effects
Attentional Bias* / drug effects
Cannabidiol* / administration & dosage
Cannabidiol* / pharmacology
Cannabis / chemistry
Cross-Over Studies*
Cues*
Double-Blind Method
Dronabinol* / administration & dosage
Dronabinol* / pharmacology
Female
Humans
Male
Young Adult

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04851392

Grants and funding

MR/P012728/1/MRC_/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom