Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Theunissen, Eef L.
• Reckweg, Johannes T.
• Hutten, Nadia R.P.W.
• Kuypers, Kim P.C.
• Toennes, Stefan W.
• Neukamm, Merja A.
• Halter, Sebastian
• Ramaekers, Johannes G.

Titel

Intoxication by a synthetic cannabinoid (JWH-018) causes cognitive and psychomotor impairment in recreational cannabis users

Ist Teil von

• Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, 2021-03, Vol.202, p.173118, Article 173118

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Elsevier ScienceDirect Journals Complete

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Smoking mixtures containing synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) have become very popular over the last years but pose a serious risk for public health. Limited knowledge is, however, available regarding the acute effects of SCs on cognition and psychomotor performance. Earlier we demonstrated signs of impairment in healthy volunteers after administering one of the first SCs, JWH-018, even though subjective intoxication was low. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the acute effects of JWH-018 on several cognitive and psychomotor tasks in participants who are demonstrating representative levels of acute intoxication. 24 healthy cannabis-experienced participants took part in this placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Participants inhaled the vapor of 75 μg JWH-018/kg body weight and were given a booster dose if needed to induce a minimum level of subjective high. They were subsequently monitored for 4 h, during which psychomotor and cognitive performance, vital signs, and subjective experience were measured, and serum concentrations were determined. Maximum subjective high (average 64%) was reached 30 min after administration of JWH-018, while the maximum blood concentration was shown after 5 min (8 ng/mL). JWH-018 impaired motor coordination (CTT), attention (DAT and SST), memory (SMT), it lowered speed-accuracy efficiency (MFFT) and slowed down response speed (DAT). In accordance with our previous studies, we demonstrated acute psychomotor and cognitive effects of a relatively low dose of JWH-018. •Acute administration of JWH-018 caused subjective intoxication similar to cannabis.•JWH-018 acutely impaired cognition and psychomotor performance.•JWH-018 impaired motor coordination, attention, response speed, and memory.•JWH-018 causes a rapid peak concentration in blood.•Peak subjective intoxication is reached later than peak concentrations of JWH-018.