Acute effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on computational measures of neurocognitive processes are related to recent cannabis use among adolescents and young adults.
K J Paige, A S Weigard, O Ajilore, K L Phan, H de Wit, H Klumpp, N A Crane
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis and its main psychoactive constituent, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are thought to weaken neurocognitive processes. However, past experimental research examining the acute effects of THC on neurocognition has produced mixed results. The current study aims to advance this literature through application of computational modeling and consideration of individual differences in cannabis use history and subjective drug effects.
Methods: In a double-blind THC administration experiment, N = 30 healthy late adolescent and young adult occasional to regular cannabis users (53% men; ages 18-25) received THC (7.5mg, oral) and placebo. They completed a Go/No Go (GNG) task at the time of peak drug effect. We analyzed GNG data using the drift diffusion model, which provides measures of effects of THC on three components of neurocognition: cognitive efficiency (drift rate), response caution (boundary separation), and motor response execution processes (non-decision time). Bayesian statistical methods were used to assess relations between individuals' neurocognitive parameter differences across the experimental conditions (THC - placebo) and several relevant covariates (cannabis use history and subjective drug effects).
Results: Overall, THC versus placebo did not significantly alter any parameter. However, THC was associated with greater between-person variability in both drift rate and nondecision time, suggesting heterogeneity in the effects of the drug. THC weakened cognitive efficiency (slower drift rates) to a greater extent in participants with less cannabis use. Further, stronger subjective effects (drug "effect" and drug "high") were related to poorer cognitive efficiency during THC intoxication.
Discussion: Results add to our understanding of the acute neurocognitive effects of THC. Slower cognitive efficiency after THC was highly heterogeneous, and was related to both recent cannabis use and subjective drug effects. These findings support the notion that acute effects of cannabis on cognitive efficiency (GNG drift rate) are reduced by individuals' tolerance to cannabis.
大麻及其主要精神活性成分-9-四氢大麻酚（THC）被认为会削弱神经认知过程。然而，过去关于四氢大麻酚对神经认知的急性影响的实验研究产生了不同的结果。目前的研究旨在通过应用计算模型和考虑大麻使用史和主观药物效应的个体差异来推进这一文献。方法：在一项双盲四氢大麻酚给药实验中，N = 30名偶尔到经常吸食大麻的健康青少年晚期和青壮年（53%男性，18-25岁）接受四氢大麻酚（7.5mg，口服）和安慰剂。他们在药物作用达到峰值时完成了一个Go/No Go （GNG）任务。我们使用漂移扩散模型分析了GNG数据，该模型提供了四氢大麻酚对神经认知三个组成部分的影响：认知效率（漂移率）、反应谨慎（边界分离）和运动反应执行过程（非决策时间）。采用贝叶斯统计方法评估不同实验条件下（四氢大麻酚-安慰剂）个体神经认知参数差异与几个相关协变量（大麻使用史和主观药物效应）之间的关系。结果：总体而言，四氢大麻酚与安慰剂没有显著改变任何参数。然而，四氢大麻酚在漂移率和非决策时间方面与更大的人与人之间的变异性相关，这表明药物的作用存在异质性。四氢大麻酚在更大程度上削弱了大麻使用较少的参与者的认知效率（更慢的漂移率）。此外，较强的主观效应（药物“效应”和药物“高”）与四氢大麻酚中毒期间较差的认知效率有关。讨论：结果增加了我们对四氢大麻酚急性神经认知作用的理解。四氢大麻酚后认知效率降低具有高度异质性，与近期大麻使用和主观药物效应有关。这些发现支持了大麻对认知效率（GNG漂移率）的急性影响因个体对大麻的耐受性而降低的观点。
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