Featured Publications
Highs and lows of cannabinoid-dopamine interactions: effects of genetic variability and pharmacological modulation of catechol-O-methyl transferase on the acute response to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans
Ranganathan M, De Aquino JP, Cortes-Briones JA, Radhakrishnan R, Pittman B, Bhakta S, D’Souza D. Highs and lows of cannabinoid-dopamine interactions: effects of genetic variability and pharmacological modulation of catechol-O-methyl transferase on the acute response to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans. Psychopharmacology 2019, 236: 3209-3219. PMID: 31187152, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05273-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOMT rs4680 polymorphismMemory deficitsCOMT genotypeVal/Val individualsRs4680 polymorphismSubjective effectsTest dayCatechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) enzymePsychotomimetic effectsCognitive effectsCognitive dataCannabinoid-dopamine interactionsAcute responseHuman brainIntravenous THCPlacebo-controlled studyRole of dopaminergicCatechol-O-methyl transferaseDopaminergic signalingAcute pharmacological inhibitionDeficitsCannabinoid effectsDopaminergic toneHealthy subjectsDrug development efforts
2022
Alleviation of opioid withdrawal by cannabis and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: A systematic review of observational and experimental human studies
De Aquino J, Bahji A, Gómez O, Sofuoglu M. Alleviation of opioid withdrawal by cannabis and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: A systematic review of observational and experimental human studies. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2022, 241: 109702. PMID: 36434879, PMCID: PMC9772106, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109702.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnalgesics, OpioidCannabinoid Receptor AgonistsCannabinoidsCannabisDronabinolFemaleHallucinogensHumansMaleNarcoticsSubstance Withdrawal SyndromeConceptsOpioid withdrawalObservational studySystematic reviewDelta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol administrationPlacebo-controlled clinical trialCannabis useNon-opioid therapeuticsPotential of cannabinoidsDose of opioidsOpioid withdrawal symptomsOpioid use disorderNarrow therapeutic windowExperimental human studiesDose-dependent increaseMain psychoactive constituentPatient characteristicsWithdrawal symptomsClinical trialsPharmacological factorsStudy qualityTherapeutic windowTherapeutic benefitUse disordersHuman studiesAbuse liability
2021
Letter to the Editor: Cannabis as a Solution to the Opioid Crisis: Is the Cart Before the Horse Again?
De Aquino JP, Bahji A, D'Souza DC. Letter to the Editor: Cannabis as a Solution to the Opioid Crisis: Is the Cart Before the Horse Again? Cannabis And Cannabinoid Research 2021, 7: 898-900. PMID: 34714101, PMCID: PMC9784580, DOI: 10.1089/can.2021.0155.Peer-Reviewed Original Research