ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03655717fNIRSUpdated Jul 28, 2022Results posted

Using Imaging to Assess Effects of THC on Brain Activity

An interventional study of Dronabinol and Ethanol in Intoxication Alcohol, Intoxication THC and Intoxication Combined Alcohol THC, sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 55 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-07-28.

Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
316
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 55 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study will assess effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and THC + alcohol in marijuana users on prefrontal brain activity, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during resting state and during memory task performance. Participants will complete fNIRS testing 120 minutes following THC or identical placebo (Phase 2A), or THC/ethanol, THC/placebo ethanol, placebo THC/ethanol, and placebo THC/placebo ethanol (Phase 2B), and oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration will be measured.

Read the detailed description

This study will assess the effects of THC intoxication using dronabinol (synthetic THC) on the oxyhemoglobin (HbO) signal during resting state and task-based activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and resting state connectivity, as well as on neurocognitive task performance and correlations between these measurements and clinical signs of intoxication. Participants will be 150 adults who use marijuana at least monthly (aged 18-55) will be recruited to participate in this study. Participants will be given up to 80 mg of dronabinol, an FDA-approved synthetic form of THC that is used to treat loss of appetite that causes weight loss in people with AIDS. THC is the principle psychoactive drug in marijuana. The study will be conducted in regular cannabis users who present at their first study visit with a positive urine screen for THC metabolites.

Phase 2A. Investigate the effect of THC on fNIRS brain signature and its association with self-reported intoxication, laboratory measures of impairment, and the gold-standard behavioral field test of driving impairment used by law enforcement, the primary classifier.

Phase 2B. Examine potential interaction following co-administration of THC with oral ethanol exposure in healthy volunteers. Phase II is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 by 2 crossover study of effect of dronabinol, ethanol, and combined dronabinol and ethanol on brain activation and connectivity as measured by fNIRS.

02

Conditions studied

  • Intoxication Alcohol
  • Intoxication THC
  • Intoxication Combined Alcohol THC

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • fNIRS
  • THC
  • Intoxication
03

In context

Alcoholic Intoxication

76 studies on the registry are indexed under Alcoholic Intoxication; 17 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 316 is above the median of 135 across 62 interventional studies indexed under Alcoholic Intoxication.

Browse Alcoholic Intoxication studies →

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,586 studies on the registry; 447 are open to participants now.

Of its 222 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 168 (76%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 55 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Men and women aged 18-55 years, inclusive; (for Phase 2B: men and women aged 21-55 years, inclusive)
  2. Competent and willing to provide written ;
  3. Able to communicate in English language.
  4. Regular, at least monthly, marijuana use, confirmed by positive urine screen for THC

    Additional Inclusion Criteria For Phase 2B:

  5. Past consumption of at least two alcoholic beverages in one occasion.
  6. Past co-consumption of alcohol and THC at least once in lifetime with no serious adverse effects.
  7. Weigh more than 100 lbs.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

General (Phase 2A, 2B 3)

  1. Any unstable, serious medical illness, or cardiovascular disease or events.
  2. New or unstable psychiatric symptoms, schizophrenia, or bipolar I disorder,
  3. Diabetes, cirrhosis, renal failure, , ,
  4. History of syncope without an identified situational stressor, migraines >1x/month, head injury with prolonged unconsciousness (> 24 hours);
  5. Allergy to sesame oil (contained in Marinol pills) or Marinol capsules
  6. Daily use of benzodiazepines or barbiturates, antihistamines, atropine, scopolamine, or other strong anticholinergic agents;
  7. Current pregnancy or lactation, or trying to become pregnant (confirmed by urine pregnancy test)
  8. In the opinion of the investigator, not able to safely participate in this study.

    Additional Exclusion Criteria For Phase 2B:

  9. Currently seeking treatment, in treatment, or in recovery from an alcohol use disorder.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

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You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
316 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Phase 2A

    In a double-blind placebo-controlled, random order cross-over study of single dose dronabinol, participants received dronabinol or identical placebo on two separate study visits in randomized order.

    Drug: Dronabinol · Drug: Placebo dronabinol

  • Experimental
    Phase 2B

    In a randomized, double-blind, 4-treatment, 4-period, crossover study with THC or placebo administration and ethanol or placebo administration, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 sequences and received each of the following treatments: placebo dronabinol + placebo ethanol, placebo dronabinol + ethanol, dronabinol + placebo ethanol, \& dronabinol + ethanol.

    Drug: Dronabinol · Drug: Ethanol · Drug: Placebo dronabinol · Drug: Placebo ethanol

Interventions

  • Dronabinol at physician determined doses of 10-80mg designed to produce intoxication.

    Also known as: oral THC

  • Oral Ethanol, dosed to obtain a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of approximately 0.05 BrAC (equal to 1-2 standard drinks).

    Also known as: oral ethanol

  • DrugPlacebo dronabinol

    Identical in appearance to active dronabinol (overencapsulation of both active and placebo dronabinol)

    Also known as: placebo oral THC

  • DrugPlacebo ethanol

    Placebo ethanol will consist of diet soda used in the active ethanol condition with 0.25ml ethanol floated on top to provide the odor of ethanol and blind the study drug.

    Also known as: oral placebo ethanol

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans of Patients Completing the N-back Task.

    Subjects completed the N-back task before and after receiving a combination of active dronabinol or placebo dronabinol and active ethanol or placebo ethanol. During the task, the fNIRS device was used to capture change in concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin to assess prefrontal brain activity. Outcomes reflect average change from baseline in HbO concentration over pre-dose scan and average change from baseline in HbO concentration over post-dose scan (expected peak intoxication).

    Time frame: The first Nback scan session was run before dosing (t ≈ -35min). Drug was administered (t = 0min). The second Nback scan session was run at the time of expected peak pharmacokinetic effect (t ≈ 100min). Each scan session was six minutes in duration.

Other outcomes

  1. Change in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans During Resting State.

    Subjects completed resting-state fNIRS scans before and after receiving a combination of active dronabinol or placebo dronabinol and active ethanol or placebo ethanol. During the task, the fNIRS device was used to capture concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin to assess prefrontal brain activity. Outcomes reflect average change from baseline in HbO concentration over pre-dose scan and average change from baseline in HbO concentration over post-dose scan (expected peak intoxication).

    Time frame: The first resting-state scan session was run before dosing (t ≈ -45min). Drug was administered (t = 0min). The second resting-state scan session was run at the time of expected peak high (t ≈ 90min). Each scan session was six minutes in duration.

07

Results

Posted Jul 28, 2022
Limitations and caveats
After reviewing and updating the study record to appropriately reflect the approved protocol, it was determined that the entry for Study Phase is best represented as N/A, rather than Phase 4, as the purpose of the study is NOT to investigate the safety or efficacy of the drug. This study seeks to use dronabinol only to probe and describe brain physiology. The change from Phase 4 to N/A more accurately and reflects the IRB approved protocol, and the aims of the grant that funds the research.

Participant flow

Participants were recruited by study staff at the MGH Center for Addiction Medicine through advertising by email, web and bulletin board announcements posted within the local site network community.

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestonePhase 2A: ABPhase 2A: BAPhase 2B: CDEFPhase 2B: CDFEPhase 2B: CEDFPhase 2B: CEFDPhase 2B: CFDEPhase 2B: CFEDPhase 2B: DCEFPhase 2B: DCFEPhase 2B: DECFPhase 2B: DEFCPhase 2B: DFCEPhase 2B: DFECPhase 2B: ECDFPhase 2B: ECFDPhase 2B: EDCFPhase 2B: EDFCPhase 2B: EFCDPhase 2B: EFDCPhase 2B: FCDEPhase 2B: FCEDPhase 2B: FDCEPhase 2B: FDECPhase 2B: FECDPhase 2B: FEDC
Started7068210333211323222233232412
Completed6056100102001120212222220202
Not completed1012110231210203010011012210
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject48100131200103010010012110
Withdrew: Physician decision33000000010000000001000100
Withdrew: Lost to follow-up31010100000100000000000000

Outcome measures

PrimaryChange in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans of Patients Completing the N-back Task.

Subjects completed the N-back task before and after receiving a combination of active dronabinol or placebo dronabinol and active ethanol or placebo ethanol. During the task, the fNIRS device was used to capture change in concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin to assess prefrontal brain activity. Outcomes reflect average change from baseline in HbO concentration over pre-dose scan and average change from baseline in HbO concentration over post-dose scan (expected peak intoxication).

Time frame:
The first Nback scan session was run before dosing (t ≈ -35min). Drug was administered (t = 0min). The second Nback scan session was run at the time of expected peak pharmacokinetic effect (t ≈ 100min). Each scan session was six minutes in duration.
Reported as:
Mean · Δ mol/L
Change in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans of Patients Completing the N-back Task.
Δ mol/LPhase 2A: Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2B: Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol
Predose0.00000000042 ± 0.00000011109-0.00000000126 ± 0.00000012928-0.00000000271 ± 0.00000015932-0.00000000114 ± 0.00000015048-0.00000000151 ± 0.00000009318-0.00000000219 ± 0.00000012507
Peak0.00000000013 ± 0.000000101900.00000000029 ± 0.00000012394-0.00000000041 ± 0.00000010552-0.00000000020 ± 0.00000012457-0.00000000018 ± 0.000000090890.00000000070 ± 0.00000011546
Statistical analysis
  • Phase 2A: Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): -0.038 · 95% CI -0.259 to 0.184Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for dronabinol conditions (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-dronabinol scans).
  • Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): -0.018 · 95% CI -0.421 to 0.386Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for ethanol conditions (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-ethanol scans).
  • Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): 0.016 · 95% CI -0.535 to 0.568Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for the dronabinol + ethanol condition (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-dronabinol+ethanol scans).
Other pre-specifiedChange in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans During Resting State.

Subjects completed resting-state fNIRS scans before and after receiving a combination of active dronabinol or placebo dronabinol and active ethanol or placebo ethanol. During the task, the fNIRS device was used to capture concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin to assess prefrontal brain activity. Outcomes reflect average change from baseline in HbO concentration over pre-dose scan and average change from baseline in HbO concentration over post-dose scan (expected peak intoxication).

Time frame:
The first resting-state scan session was run before dosing (t ≈ -45min). Drug was administered (t = 0min). The second resting-state scan session was run at the time of expected peak high (t ≈ 90min). Each scan session was six minutes in duration.
Reported as:
Mean · Δ mol/L
Change in Concentration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Between Pre-drug and Post-drug Scans During Resting State.
Δ mol/LPhase 2A: Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2B: Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol
Predose-0.00000000056 ± 0.000000142330.00000000009 ± 0.000000118810.00000000198 ± 0.000000101530.00000000021 ± 0.000000157530.00000000144 ± 0.00000017047-0.00000000051 ± 0.00000011795
Peak-0.00000000043 ± 0.000000105440.00000000115 ± 0.000000141740.00000000025 ± 0.000000087170.00000000190 ± 0.000000138480.00000000195 ± 0.00000011273-0.00000000014 ± 0.00000008289
Statistical analysis
  • Phase 2A: Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): -0.163 · 95% CI -0.384 to 0.057Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for dronabinol conditions (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-dronabinol scans).
  • Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): -0.176 · 95% CI -0.588 to 0.237Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for ethanol conditions (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-ethanol scans).
  • Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only vs Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol vs Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol · Regression, Linear · p = 0.94 (The p-value is adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across the two primary outcome measures and six contrasts. Effects were deemed significant for p\<0.05.) · Mean difference (final values): 0.187 · 95% CI -0.354 to 0.728Estimate is the mean difference in average HbO level between pre-dose scans and post-dose scans for the dronabinol + ethanol condition (positive values denote higher HbO levels for post-dronabinol+ethanol scans).

Adverse events

Collected over Participant enrollment to study completion, an average of 3 weeks for Phase 2A and 6 weeks for Phase 2B. Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Phase 2A: Dronabinol Only0/128 (0%)0/128 (0%)13/128 (10.2%)
Phase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol Only0/126 (0%)0/126 (0%)6/126 (4.8%)
Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Ethanol0/39 (0%)0/39 (0%)7/39 (17.9%)
Phase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol0/39 (0%)0/39 (0%)12/39 (30.8%)
Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Ethanol0/32 (0%)0/32 (0%)3/32 (9.4%)
Phase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol0/38 (0%)0/38 (0%)4/38 (10.5%)
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
EventPhase 2A: Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2A: Placebo Dronabinol OnlyPhase 2B: Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Dronabinol and Placebo EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and EthanolPhase 2B: Placebo Dronabinol and Placebo Ethanol
AnxietyPsychiatric disorders5/1282/1263/394/390/320/38
TachycardiaCardiac disorders1/1280/1261/394/390/321/38
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders2/1282/1261/393/391/321/38
ColdInfections and infestations5/1282/1262/391/392/322/38

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
<=18 years000
Between 18 and 65 years13852190
>=65 years000
Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
Mean24.9 ± 6.4925.6 ± 5.1625.1 ± 6.15
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
Female672794
Male712596
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
Hispanic or Latino281038
Not Hispanic or Latino10741148
Unknown or Not Reported314
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
American Indian or Alaska Native202
Asian11213
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander000
Black or African American16622
White9336129
More than one race12416
Unknown or Not Reported448
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Phase 2A - Total SamplePhase 2B - Total SampleTotal
United States13852190
08

Study locations

1 site
  • Center for Addiction Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dept. of Psychiatry
    Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Gilman JM, Schmitt WA, Potter K, Kendzior B, Pachas GN, Hickey S, Makary M, Huestis MA, Evins AE. Identification of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairment using functional brain imaging. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2022 Mar;47(4):944-952. doi: 10.1038/s41386-021-01259-0. Epub 2022 Jan 8. Erratum In: Neuropsychopharmacology. 2022 May;47(6):1282. doi: 10.1038/s41386-022-01299-0. PubMed 34999737 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Individual participant data (IPD) will not be available

10

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Nov 2018 to primary completion in Jan 2021, 26 months.

Results were first posted in Jul 2022, 1 year 6 months after primary completion.

Of 29 interventional studies with no phase under Alcoholic Intoxication, half reached primary completion within 40 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 58. This study's 26 months is below that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jul 20, 2018
First posted
Aug 31, 2018
StartActual
Nov 5, 2018
Primary completionActual
Jan 21, 2021
CompletionActual
Jan 21, 2021
Results first posted
Jul 28, 2022
Last update
Jul 28, 2022
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 28, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03655717
Responsible party
A. Eden Evins (Director, Center for Addiction Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 31, 2018
Start date
Nov 5, 2018
Primary completion
Jan 21, 2021
Completion
Jan 21, 2021
Results posted
Jul 28, 2022
Last update
Jul 28, 2022

Study contacts

A. Eden Evins, MD, MPH
principal investigator · Massachusetts General Hospital
Jodi M Gilman, PhD
study director · Massachusetts General Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drug tested here: Dronabinol

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