Study on the Effects of Hydrocortisone and Yohimbine on Stress and Cannabis Use Motivation in Adults with Cannabis Use Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how different types of stress affect motivation to use cannabis in people with Cannabis Use Disorder CUD. The study focuses on understanding how stress influences the bodys natural cannabinoids and cannabis use motivation by testing two drugs that produce temporary stress-like symptoms. This early phase 1 trial aims to explore the biological mechanisms linking stress and cannabis use to help develop new treatment approaches for CUD. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of four drug combinations involving hydrocortisone 20mg, yohimbine hydrochloride 54mg, or placebos in a double-blind crossover design. Each participant will visit the lab four times over about 10 to 22 days. During these visits, they will take one of the drug combinations, complete interviews, questionnaires, computerized tasks, have their brain activity monitored with an EEG cap, and provide blood samples. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed for their neurophysiological responses to cannabis cues and their cannabis use motivation, including measures like demand intensity and monetary expenditure on cannabis. These outcomes are measured at each of the four lab visits. Safety and health will be monitored with physical exams, EKGs, and blood tests. The overall participation period spans multiple visits over a few weeks, with careful monitoring of brain activity, blood samples, and behavioral responses to understand stress effects on cannabis use motivation.

Cannabinoids and Biological Reactivity to Stress