Status:

COMPLETED

Cannabis and Schizophrenia: Self-Medication and Agonist Treatment

Lead Sponsor:

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Collaborating Sponsors:

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Indiana University

Conditions:

Schizophrenia

Dual Diagnosis

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-50 years

Phase:

PHASE1

Brief Summary

The first aim of this study is to determine whether a brain reward center (BRC) deficiency in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) will be normalized when patients are giv...

Detailed Description

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is up to ten times more common in schizophrenia (SCZ) than in the general population, and substantially worsens the course of this severe psychiatric disorder. Since SCZ oc...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Inclusion criteria for study subjects (dual diagnosis patients):
  • Age 18-50;
  • Diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (by SCID)
  • Diagnosis of current cannabis abuse or dependence (by SCID);
  • Recent use of cannabis (within the past month on Timeline Follow-Back);
  • Stability on antipsychotic medication for past 1 month);
  • Outpatient status for past 3 months;
  • Willing and able to participate as demonstrated by a signed informed consent document.
  • Inclusion criteria for normal control subjects:
  • Age 18-50;
  • Willing to participate as demonstrated by a signed informed consent document

Exclusion

  • Exclusion criteria for study subjects (dual diagnosis patients):
  • PANSS subscale for positive symptoms of psychosis item \> 3 \[moderate\] on Day 15 (once they are abstinent from cannabis);
  • Cocaine/stimulant use disorder;
  • Pharmacological treatment for addiction (e.g., disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate, topiramate); Mental retardation;
  • Pregnancy or currently nursing;
  • Uncontrolled serious medical condition;
  • Seizure disorder
  • Seeking treatment to limit their cannabis use
  • Taking clozapine
  • Additional Exclusion criteria for Main Study patients only:
  • Claustrophobia prohibiting scanning
  • History of head injury with period of unconsciousness;
  • Metal objects within the body;
  • Taking antipsychotic other than risperidone or first generation antipsychotic as main treatment
  • Previous participation in the Pilot Dose Finding Study
  • Exclusion criteria for normal control subjects:
  • Axis I or Axis II psychiatric diagnosis (including substance use disorder) based on SCID
  • Mental retardation;
  • History of head injury with period of unconsciousness;
  • Metal objects within the body;
  • Pregnancy or currently nursing;
  • Uncontrolled serious medical condition;
  • Current tobacco smokers. Note: We exclude current tobacco smoking (but not a history of smoking) in the normal control subjects since the fact of cigarette smoking could select subjects with a dysregulated BRC as a basis for their continued cigarette smoking in the face of social conventions toward non-smoking.

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

December 1 2009

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

October 1 2012

Estimated Enrollment :

12 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT00946348

Start Date

December 1 2009

End Date

October 1 2012

Last Update

July 12 2021

Active Locations (1)

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1

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 03756