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Testing the Interactive Effects of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Pregnenolone: Sub-Study I

Registration Number
NCT02811939
Lead Sponsor
Yale University
Brief Summary

The overall purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Pregnenolone (PREG) on the acute psychosis-like and cognitive effects of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This will be tested by pretreating healthy individuals with PREG, and then assessing their responses to Dronabinol (THC).

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
13
Inclusion Criteria
  • Exposed to cannabis at least once in lifetime
Exclusion Criteria
  • Cannabis naïve
  • Individuals with a documented reaction/allergy to Pregnenolone
  • Individuals with a documented reaction/allergy to Sesame oil

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Active THC and Placebo PregnenolonePlacebo Pregnenolone-
Active THC and Placebo PregnenoloneActive Dronabinol-
Active THC and Active PregnenoloneActive Dronabinol-
Active THC and Active PregnenoloneActive Pregnenolone-
Placebo THC and Active PregnenoloneActive Pregnenolone-
Placebo THC and Active PregnenolonePlacebo Dronabinol-
Placebo THC and Placebo PregnenolonePlacebo Pregnenolone-
Placebo THC and Placebo PregnenolonePlacebo Dronabinol-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from Baseline: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)baseline, 30, 110, 180, and 240 minutes after the administration of oral dronabinol/placebo

Positive, negative and general symptoms will be assessed using the positive, negative, and general symptom subscale of the PANSS.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from Baseline: Clinician Administered Dissociative Symptoms Scale (CADSS)baseline, 30, 110, 180, and 240 minutes after the administration of oral dronabinol/placebo

Perceptual alterations will be measured using the CADSS. This is a scale consisting of 19 self-reported items, and 9 clinician-rated items. The scale captures alterations in environmental/time/body perception, feelings of unreality, and memory impairment.

Change from Baseline: Psychotomimetic States Inventory (PSI)baseline, 30, 110, 180, and 240 minutes after the administration of oral dronabinol/placebo

The PSI is a measure of drug induced psychotomimetic states. This self-reported scale consists of 28 items rated 0 (not at all) to 3 (extremely) and will facilitate the characterization of a wide range of dissociative/hallucinatory phenomena as well as cognitive disorganization associated with the administration of THC.

Change from Baseline: Visual Analog Scale (VAS)Baseline; 30 minutes and 10 minutes prior to administration of oral dronabinol or placebo; 20, 90, 110, 150, 180, and 240 minutes after the administration of oral dronabinol/placebo

Feeling states associated with cannabis intoxication will be measured using a self-reported visual analog scale of feeling states associated with cannabis effects (ex. "high, "calm", "anxious"). Subjects will be asked to score the perceived intensity of these feeling states at that moment on a 11mm line. This data will be captured to validate the experiment is relevant to cannabis effect.

Cognitive Test Battery25 minutes after Dronabinol is given orally

Several computer tasks will be administered in order to evaluate the effects of cannabis on verbal learning and memory. The battery consists of five computer tasks that last no longer than 20 minutes in total.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Biological Studies Unit at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale School of Medicine

🇺🇸

West Haven, Connecticut, United States

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