Below is a list of our current research related to marijuana use. To learn more about any of these trials, contact the Center for Addiction Medicine at 617-724-8472.
Effect of Medical Marijuana on Neurocognition and Escalation of Use
Principal Investigator: Jodi Gilman, 2016—2020
Study Reference: 5K01DA034093
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the the effect of medical marijuana (MM) on a range of outcomes, including clinical symptoms, cognitive performance, brain function, and possible transition to cannabis use disorders (CUD), in adults who are interested in using medical marijuana to treat pain, insomnia, depression, or anxiety. We will conduct longitudal assessments over 6 months that will:
- Characterize the impact of MM on progression to CUD, as well as other indices of addiction such as increased tolerance and withdrawal among those who stop using MM
- Assess, via daily dosing diaries, the effect of MM use patterns on use of other medications and perception of underlying disease symptomatology
- Characterize the impact of MM on neurocognitive performance, including executive function, memory, attention, and decision-making
- Examine evidence for impact of MM on brain function in the prefrontal cortex and reward regions
Web-based Survey of Individuals Interested in Using Medical Marijuana
Principal Investigator: Jodi Gilman, 2015—2020
Study Reference: NIH/NIDA 1K01DA034093-01A
The aims of this study are to characterize the most common illnesses for which MM is sought, the reasons for seeking MM, reasons for hesitance to use and to characterize current marijuana use habits of those interested in using MM.
Cognition and Adolescent Health
Principal Investigator: Schuster, Gilman, Evins, 2015—2020
Study Reference: 5K01DA034093-03
The purpose of this study is to:
- Provide updated information on the prevalence and frequency of marijuana use in relation to other forms of substance use in a representative sample of high-school aged adolescents
- Evaluate the effect of contingency management on initial 30-day verified cannabis abstinence in adolescents of all ages who use cannabis at least weekly and are not seeking treatment
- Determine whether there is cognitive dysfunction in cannabis use that causes effects in the short term (4 days) after use but resolves with extended abstinence (30 days) compared to two groups: users who do not quit and non-using controls
- Estimate the rate of cognitive improvement with marijuana abstinence as a function of time since last use and concentration of detectable cannabis metabolites in urine
Mentoring in Patient-Oriented Addiction Research
Principal Investigator: Kelly, 2014—2019
Study Reference: National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism/K24AA022136-01
This grant is designed to develop specific content expertise in treatment and recovery policy and the design, implementation and evaluation of treatment and recovery support service combinations. This grant also allows for mentoring junior investigators in patient-orientated addiction research.
Examining the Effectiveness of a Peer-support Model for Parents and Caregivers of Addicted Loved Ones
Principal Investigator(s): Kelly, 2014—2105
Study Reference: Recovery Research Institute (RRI)
This study aims to:
- Assess the subjective benefits of participation in face-to-face meetings for both Learn to Cope affiliates and their family members with addiction problems
- Examine the extent to which Learn to Cope is associated with improving its members’ understanding of and competence in dealing with their loved ones’ addiction, as well as helping their loved ones’ chances of recovery from addiction
Decision-Making and Drug Use
Principal Investigator: Gilman, 2013—2016
Study Reference: NIH/NIDA 1K01DA034093-01A1
The aim of the study is to design novel behavioral tasks that will allow us to separate and empirically measure factors that predict social influence. We would like to design new tasks based on classic psychological studies that will allows us to model social influence, to observe differences between non-dependent young adults aged 18-25 who use either alcohol or marijuana, and age-matched controls, in order to investigate differences in susceptibility to social influence and in neural activation of regions associated with social influence as a function of early drug use.
Using Imaging to Assess Effects of THC on Brain Activity
Principal Investigator: Gilman, 2013—2017
Study Reference: NIDA 1K01DA034093
The aim of this study is to:
- Assess the effects of THC intoxication using the medication dronabinol (a synthetic form of THC) on resting state and task-based activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the brain, as well as on neurocognitive task performance
- Examine the correlations between these cognitive measurements and clinical signs of intoxication
- Investigate at which doses of dronabinol an effect on neurocognitive task performance or an effect on PFC activity can be observed.