Individual and combined effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on striato-cortical connectivity in the human brain
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) November 21, 2020 Matthew B. Wall, Tom P. Freeman, Chandni Hindocha et al. 4 citations preprint
Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are two major cannabis constituents with contrasting actions: THC is psychoactive and addiction-promoting, while CBD may have opposite effects. In two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, inhaled THC (8 mg) strongly disrupted functional connectivity in associative and sensorimotor striatal networks, and this disruption was selectively alleviated in the limbic striatum when co-administered with CBD (10 mg). Oral CBD (600 mg) alone increased connectivity in the associative network but caused minor decreases in limbic and sensorimotor networks. The insula emerged as a key region affected by cannabinoid-induced connectivity changes, with implications for cannabis-related disorders and cannabinoid therapeutics.