Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users
Intoxication from cannabis impairs cognitive performance, in part due to the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis) on prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, a relationship between impairment in cognitive functioning with THC administration and TH...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00488/full |
| _version_ | 1819048025861914624 |
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| author | Hasan O. Keles Hasan O. Keles Milena Radoman Gladys N. Pachas Gladys N. Pachas A. Eden Evins A. Eden Evins Jodi M. Gilman Jodi M. Gilman |
| author_facet | Hasan O. Keles Hasan O. Keles Milena Radoman Gladys N. Pachas Gladys N. Pachas A. Eden Evins A. Eden Evins Jodi M. Gilman Jodi M. Gilman |
| author_sort | Hasan O. Keles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Intoxication from cannabis impairs cognitive performance, in part due to the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis) on prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, a relationship between impairment in cognitive functioning with THC administration and THC-induced change in hemodynamic response has not been demonstrated. We explored the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the functional changes of the human PFC associated with cannabis intoxication and cognitive impairment. Eighteen adult regular cannabis users (final sample, n = 13) performed a working memory task (n-back) during fNIRS recordings, before and after receiving a single dose of oral synthetic THC (dronabinol; 20–50 mg). Functional data were collected using a continuous-wave NIRS device, in which 8 Sources and 7 detectors were placed on the forehead, resulting in 20 channels covering PFC regions. Physiological changes and subjective intoxication measures were collected. We found a significant increase in the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration after THC administration in several channels on the PFC during both the high working memory load (2-back) and the low working memory load (0-back) condition. The increased HbO response was accompanied by a trend toward an increased number of omission errors after THC administration. The current study suggests that cannabis intoxication is associated with increases in hemodynamic blood flow to the PFC, and that this increase can be detected with fNIRS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:09:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a75f8a49c83b469ba2ab8b7d2dbcc101 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:09:42Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-a75f8a49c83b469ba2ab8b7d2dbcc1012022-12-21T19:06:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612017-10-011110.3389/fnhum.2017.00488293127Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis UsersHasan O. Keles0Hasan O. Keles1Milena Radoman2Gladys N. Pachas3Gladys N. Pachas4 A. Eden Evins5 A. Eden Evins6Jodi M. Gilman7Jodi M. Gilman8Center for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United StatesIntoxication from cannabis impairs cognitive performance, in part due to the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis) on prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, a relationship between impairment in cognitive functioning with THC administration and THC-induced change in hemodynamic response has not been demonstrated. We explored the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the functional changes of the human PFC associated with cannabis intoxication and cognitive impairment. Eighteen adult regular cannabis users (final sample, n = 13) performed a working memory task (n-back) during fNIRS recordings, before and after receiving a single dose of oral synthetic THC (dronabinol; 20–50 mg). Functional data were collected using a continuous-wave NIRS device, in which 8 Sources and 7 detectors were placed on the forehead, resulting in 20 channels covering PFC regions. Physiological changes and subjective intoxication measures were collected. We found a significant increase in the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration after THC administration in several channels on the PFC during both the high working memory load (2-back) and the low working memory load (0-back) condition. The increased HbO response was accompanied by a trend toward an increased number of omission errors after THC administration. The current study suggests that cannabis intoxication is associated with increases in hemodynamic blood flow to the PFC, and that this increase can be detected with fNIRS.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00488/fullfunctional near-infrared spectroscopycannabismarijuanan-backworking memoryprefrontal cortex |
| spellingShingle | Hasan O. Keles Hasan O. Keles Milena Radoman Gladys N. Pachas Gladys N. Pachas A. Eden Evins A. Eden Evins Jodi M. Gilman Jodi M. Gilman Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users Frontiers in Human Neuroscience functional near-infrared spectroscopy cannabis marijuana n-back working memory prefrontal cortex |
| title | Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users |
| title_full | Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users |
| title_fullStr | Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users |
| title_short | Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Effects of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Prefrontal Activity and Working Memory in Cannabis Users |
| title_sort | using functional near infrared spectroscopy to measure effects of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol on prefrontal activity and working memory in cannabis users |
| topic | functional near-infrared spectroscopy cannabis marijuana n-back working memory prefrontal cortex |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00488/full |
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