Citation

Fogel JS, Kelly TH, Westgate PM, Lile JA. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 2016; 152: 44-51.

Affiliation

Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, College of Medicine Office Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086; Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 106-B Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506-0044; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509-1810. Electronic address: jalile2@email.uky.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pbb.2016.01.007

PMID

26780348

Abstract

Previous studies suggest that there are sex differences in endocannabinoid function and the response to exogenous cannabinoids, though data from clinical studies comparing acute cannabinoid effects in men and women under controlled laboratory conditions are limited. To further explore these potential differences, data from 30 cannabis users (N=18M, 12F) who completed previous Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) discrimination studies were combined for this retrospective analysis. In each study, subjects learned to discriminate between oral Δ(9)-THC and placebo and then received a range of Δ(9)-THC doses (0, 5, 15 and a "high" dose of either 25 or 30mg). Responses on a drug-discrimination task, subjective effects questionnaire, psychomotor performance tasks, and physiological measures were assessed. Δ(9)-THC dose-dependently increased drug-appropriate responding, ratings on "positive" visual analog scale (VAS) items (e.g., Good Effects, Like Drug, Take Again), and items related to intoxication (e.g., High, Stoned). Δ(9)-THC also dose-dependently impaired performance on psychomotor tasks and elevated heart rate. Sex differences on VAS items emerged as a function of dose. Women exhibited significantly greater subjective responses to oral drug administration than men at the 5mg Δ(9)-THC dose, whereas men were more sensitive to the subjective effects of the 15mg dose of Δ(9)-THC than women. These results demonstrate dose-dependent separation in the subjective response to oral Δ(9)-THC administration by sex, which might contribute to the differential development of problematic cannabis use.

Language: en