Cannabis & cognition: The role of dopamine.
Email this pagePresentation of Mikael Kowal on Cannafest Prague 2013. The lecture is in the original version. Brief synopsis can be found in the description below.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound responsible for most of the psychoactive effects of cannabis, has been shown to have an indirect impact on dopamine - a neurotransmitter involved in the control of goal-directed behavior, reward learning, reinforcement and addiction. However, not much is known about the effect of THC on specific dopamine-related cognitive functions. In our study we aimed to address that issue by investigating a group of 60 healthy cannabis users, matched for a number of demographic variables. We administered two different doses of THC in the form of medicinal cannabis (Bedrocan®) using a Volcano® vaporizer, in order to assess the differential impact of a particular dose on neurophysiological measurements and psychological tasks indicative of dopaminergic functioning. Since regular cannabis users display a specific tolerance to the impairing effects of THC, participants in our research were required to use cannabis regularly. Moreover, the current study was the first to use a placebo cannabis plant developed by Bedrocan® - the only official medicinal cannabis producer in the Netherlands. Consequently, the results of this study and their implications will be discussed during the talk.
Your are cordially invited to the annual conference at Cannafest, the international trade fair of cannabis and medical herbs that will take place on November 11-13, 2016 at the Prague Exhibition Holesovice. The conference presentations will be simultaneously interpreted into English and Czech.