Effects of THC and CBD on Human Episodic Memory Function

NCT ID: NCT02291562

Last Updated: 2015-01-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2014-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2014-12-31

Brief Summary

THC and CBD have distinct symptomatic and behavioral effects. In healthy individuals, THC can induce psychotic symptoms and anxiety, and can impair memory. In contrast, CBD has anxiolytic and possibly antipsychotic properties, while not impairing memory and other cognitive functions. Instead, CBD has been shown to have significant neuroprotective effects. In humans, CBD values correlated positively with gray matter concentration in bilateral hippocampus. Recent data from experimental animals and in vitro studies suggest that these distinct effects might be caused by opposing effects on brain cannabinoid receptors.

Neuroimaging studies have consistently identified brain activity recorded at prefrontal and medial temporal regions as relevant for episodic memory. Additionally, the abundance of cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus and the parahippocampal and entorhinal cortices suggests a potential impact of CBD in memory deficits typical in healthy aging. However, the evidence relating cannabinoids to these conditions is relatively recent and has been obtained from either biochemical or pharmacological studies. It might be hypothesized that CBDs could be useful to delay or even arrest the progression of functional and structural neuronal degeneration.

The investigators will use an episodic memory paradigm to test the effects of THC, CBD and placebo on memory encoding and retention and the underlying neuronal networks on healthy male subjects.

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

Tetrahydrocannabinol

10 mg of Tetrahydrocannabinol as capsule (once)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Tetrahydrocannabinol

Intervention Type: DRUG

10 mg Tetrahydrocannabinol (capsule, once) oral intake

Cannabidiol

600 mg Cannabidiol capsule (once)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Cannabidiol

Intervention Type: DRUG

600 mg Cannabidiol (capsule, once) oral intake

placebo

placebo capsule (once)

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

placebo

Intervention Type: DRUG

placebo (capsule, once) oral intake

Interventions

Tetrahydrocannabinol

10 mg Tetrahydrocannabinol (capsule, once) oral intake

Intervention Type: DRUG

Cannabidiol

600 mg Cannabidiol (capsule, once) oral intake

Intervention Type: DRUG

placebo

placebo (capsule, once) oral intake

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• no acute or chronic disease

Exclusion Criteria

• opioid intake
• medication or drug abuse
• kidney or liver dysfunction
• claustrophobia
• none removable metallic parts (e.g. hip replacement)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Oliver Grimm, M.D.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Central Institute of Mental Health

Locations

Central Institute of Mental Health

Mannheim, , Germany

Countries

Germany

Other Identifiers

LOGIN_EpMem

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id