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
2023
Delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol modulates pain sensitivity among persons receiving opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorder: A within‐subject, randomized, placebo‐controlled laboratory study
De Aquino J, Meyerovich J, Xie C, Ranganathan M, Compton P, Pittman B, Rogan M, Sofuoglu M. Delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol modulates pain sensitivity among persons receiving opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorder: A within‐subject, randomized, placebo‐controlled laboratory study. Addiction Biology 2023, 28: e13317. PMID: 37644897, PMCID: PMC10468603, DOI: 10.1111/adb.13317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderOpioid agonist therapyAgonist therapyMethadone dosesMethadone therapyPain sensitivityUse disordersPlacebo-controlled laboratory studySynergistic antinociceptive effectCognitive adverse effectsSingle oral dosesRisk-benefit profilePain sensitivity measuresCannabinoid receptor systemAntinociceptive effectTHC doseOral dosesOpioid agonistsAcute effectsCannabinoid agonistsPreclinical studiesAbuse potentialOpioid crisisTherapyReceptor system
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 ResearchConceptsOpioid 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
2019
Effects of haloperidol on the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol response in humans: a responder analysis
Gupta S, De Aquino JP, D’Souza D, Ranganathan M. Effects of haloperidol on the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol response in humans: a responder analysis. Psychopharmacology 2019, 236: 2635-2640. PMID: 30919005, PMCID: PMC6697616, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05235-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDissociative Symptoms ScalePANSS positive scalePsychotomimetic effectsHuman laboratory studiesRole of dopaminePsychosis-like effectsHaloperidol conditionNegative Syndrome ScalePANSS positive scoreDopaminergic antagonismPositive scalePlacebo conditionResponder analysisSyndrome ScaleSymptom ScaleDouble-blind studyEffects of haloperidolDopaminergic signalingOral haloperidolIndividualsOnly respondersPositive scoreIntravenous administrationHealthy individualsHaloperidol