Joshua L Gowin, Vanessa Stallsmith, Katelyn Weldon, Gregory Dooley, Hollis C Karoly
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Rationale: Widespread legalization of cannabis in the US in recent years has coincided with increasing use of alcohol and cannabis at the same time. Cannabis is thought to confer synergistic effects on alcohol intoxication, and the potential for increased cognitive impairment is a concern. Most prior co-administration studies have relied on low-THC cannabis, limiting generalizability to real-world consumption of higher-THC, legal-market cannabis.
Objectives: We tested whether legal-market cannabis confers verbal learning and memory impairment beyond the effects of an acute dose of alcohol in a sample of heavy-drinking adults who regularly use cannabis.
Methods: Participants (N = 60, 40% female) completed two laboratory sessions: an Alcohol Only session and a Cannabis + Alcohol session. At each session, participants completed the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test before and after alcohol/cannabis use. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated effects of substance use condition and sex on number of words recalled immediately and after a short and long delay.
Results: During immediate recall, participants recalled one fewer word per trial in the Cannabis + Alcohol Post-Use condition compared to the other conditions (p <.001). This effect was stronger in females (p =.003). During long delay recall, participants recalled 1.5 fewer words in both Post-Use conditions compared to both Pre-Use conditions. No sex differences emerged for delayed recall trials.
Conclusions: Legal-market cannabis was associated with acute verbal learning and memory impairments compared to alcohol alone, with females showing heightened vulnerability during initial encoding. Results highlight the risks of alcohol and cannabis co-use and underscore the importance of studying high-THC cannabis.
期刊介绍：
Official Journal of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (EBPS)
Psychopharmacology is an international journal that covers the broad topic of elucidating mechanisms by which drugs affect behavior. The scope of the journal encompasses the following fields:
Human Psychopharmacology: Experimental
This section includes manuscripts describing the effects of drugs on mood, behavior, cognition and physiology in humans. The journal encourages submissions that involve brain imaging, genetics, neuroendocrinology, and developmental topics. Usually manuscripts in this section describe studies conducted under controlled conditions, but occasionally descriptive or observational studies are also considered.
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Translational
This section comprises studies addressing the broad intersection of drugs and psychiatric illness. This includes not only clinical trials and studies of drug usage and metabolism, drug surveillance, and pharmacoepidemiology, but also work utilizing the entire range of clinically relevant methodologies, including neuroimaging, pharmacogenetics, cognitive science, biomarkers, and others. Work directed toward the translation of preclinical to clinical knowledge is especially encouraged. The key feature of submissions to this section is that they involve a focus on clinical aspects.
Preclinical psychopharmacology: Behavioral and Neural
This section considers reports on the effects of compounds with defined chemical structures on any aspect of behavior, in particular when correlated with neurochemical effects, in species other than humans. Manuscripts containing neuroscientific techniques in combination with behavior are welcome. We encourage reports of studies that provide insight into the mechanisms of drug action, at the behavioral and molecular levels.
Preclinical Psychopharmacology: Translational
This section considers manuscripts that enhance the confidence in a central mechanism that could be of therapeutic value for psychiatric or neurological patients, using disease-relevant preclinical models and tests, or that report on preclinical manipulations and challenges that have the potential to be translated to the clinic. Studies aiming at the refinement of preclinical models based upon clinical findings (back-translation) will also be considered. The journal particularly encourages submissions that integrate measures of target tissue exposure, activity on the molecular target and/or modulation of the targeted biochemical pathways.
Preclinical Psychopharmacology: Molecular, Genetic and Epigenetic
This section focuses on the molecular and cellular actions of neuropharmacological agents / drugs, and the identification / validation of drug targets affecting the CNS in health and disease. We particularly encourage studies that provide insight into the mechanisms of drug action at the molecular level. Manuscripts containing evidence for genetic or epigenetic effects on neurochemistry or behavior are welcome.
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