TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - Developing a phone-based measure of impairment after acute oral ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol
JO  - Journal of psychopharmacology
A1  - Pabon, Elisa
A1  - de Wit, Harriet
SP  - 1160
EP  - 1169
VL  - 33
IS  - 9
N2  - BACKGROUND: Acute consumption of cannabis or its primary psychoactive ingredient ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to impair memory, reaction time, time perception, and attention. However, it is difficult to measure these impairments in a brief test that can be used in a non-laboratory setting. AIMS: We aim to develop and validate a prototype for a mobile phone application to measure ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced cognitive impairment. <br><br>METHODS: We conducted two double-blind, within-subjects studies examining impairments after oral doses of ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol (0, 7.5, 15 mg) using both standardized computer-based tasks and our novel phone-based tasks. The tasks measured cognitive speed, reaction time, fine motor ability, and working memory and, in the second study, time perception. Study 1 (<i>n</i>=24) provided initial data, and Study 2 (<i>n</i>=24) was designed to refine the measures. In both studies, healthy non-daily cannabis users participated in three four-hour experimental sessions in which they received capsules containing ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol (7.5, 15 mg) or placebo. Subjective and cardiovascular measures were obtained at regular intervals, and at the time of peak drug effect subjects completed both standardized, computer-based and brief, phone-based tasks. <br><br>RESULTS: ∆<sup>9</sup>-Tetrahydrocannabinol-induced impairment was detected on most of the computer tasks, but was not evident on most of the phone tasks. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The phone tasks were brief, to facilitate use in a non-laboratory setting, but it is likely that this made them less sensitive to the impairing effects of ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol. These findings confirm that ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol impairs performance on several tasks at two recreationally relevant doses, but raises question about the feasibility of designing a phone application as a sensitive field sobriety test for cannabis.      Keyword: Cannabis impaired driving  <p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0269-8811
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881119862533
ID  - ref1
ER  -