Magnitude and duration of cue-induced craving for Marijuana in volunteers with cannabis use disorder

Abstract

Aims-Evaluate magnitude and duration of subjective and physiologic responses to neutral and marijuana (MJ)-related cues in cannabis dependent volunteers.Methods-33 volunteers (17 male) who met DSM-IV criteria for Cannabis Abuse or Dependence were exposed to neutral (first) then MJ-related visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile cues. Mood, drug craving and physiology were assessed at baseline, post-neutral, post-MJ and 15-min post MJ cue exposure to determine magnitude of cue-responses. For a subset of participants (n=15; 9 male), measures of craving and physiology were collected also at 30-, 90-, and 150-min post-MJ cue to examine duration of cue-effects.Results-In cue-response magnitude analyses, visual analog scale (VAS) items craving for, urge to use, and desire to smoke MJ, Total and Compulsivity subscale scores of the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire, anxiety ratings, and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were significantly elevated following MJ vs. neutral cue exposure. In cue-response duration analyses, desire and urge to use MJ remained significantly elevated at 30-, 90-and 150-min post MJ-cue exposure, relative to baseline and neutral cues.Conclusions-Presentation of polysensory MJ cues increased MJ craving, anxiety and diastolic BP relative to baseline and neutral cues. MJ craving remained elevated up to 150-min after MJ cue presentation. This finding confirms that carry-over effects from drug cue presentation must be considered in cue reactivity studies.

Cue-elicited increases in incentive salience for marijuana: Craving, demand, and attentional bias

“…Furthermore, due to the small subsample of marijuana users with CD, the current research was not sufficiently powered to detect significant group differences, so results may not generalize to studies with higher CD rates. Additionally, the order of cue presentation (neutral cues first) was not counterbalanced to prevent carryover effects (Lundahl and Greenwald, 2015b; Monti et al, 1987; Rohsenow et al, 2001, 2000). However, order effects would only be a threat to the integrity of the design if neutral cues were presented after drug cues (Monti et al, 1987; Sayette and Hufford, 1994).…”

“…Marijuana stimuli (a marijuana cigarette rolled at both ends provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a lighter, and a used ashtray) were beneath the second cover. Neutral cues were always presented first to prevent carryover effects from the marijuana cues (Lundahl and Greenwald, 2015b; Monti et al, 1987). Participants were first asked to relax for 4 mins and then were instructed to uncover the neutral cues, view them for 2 mins, then touch the pencil to the eraser, smell it, and continue viewing the cues for 2 mins.…”