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Effeets of marijuana extract and tetrahydrocannabinol on electroencephalographic sleep patterns
Author(s) -
Feinberg Irwin,
Jones Reese,
Walker James,
Cavness Cleve,
Floyd Thomas
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1976196782
Subject(s) - eye movement , sleep (system call) , delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol , rapid eye movement sleep , lithium (medication) , tetrahydrocannabinol , anesthesia , pharmacology , δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol , medicine , drug , psychology , psychiatry , cannabinoid , neuroscience , receptor , computer science , operating system
Marijuana extract, given in daily doses containing 70 to 210 mg delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), induced effects on sleep that were virtually identical to those produced by the same doses of relatively pure (96%) THC. Both drugs reduced eye movement density with some tolerance developing to this effect. Stage 4 tended to increase with drug administration. Abrupt withdrawal led to extremely high densities of eye movement, increased rapid eye movement (REM) durations, and a sharp but transient fall in stage 4 to baseline levels. These effects may be useful in the elucidation of the pharmacology of sleep. The effects on sleep of THC administration (but not withdrawal) closely resemble those induced by lithium. For this reason, we suggest further studies of THC in affective disorders . Evidence available thus far suggests that THC produces dysphoric symptoms in unipolar but not in bipolar depressed patients; these differences in response may prove of diagnostic value. An adequate therapeutic trial of THC in bipolar depressed patients has not yet been carried out.