PK/PD of Oral and Vaporized Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Older Adults

Summary

The overarching goal of this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study is to characterize the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of the main analgesic and psychoactive constituent of cannabis, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), among older adults - the fastest growing population of cannabis consumers, and the most likely age cohort to use cannabinoids to relieve pain. This protocol includes two sub-studies, each randomizing 20 men and women aged 65 years or older to receive two administration routes of THC; oral administration and vaporized administration.

Timeline

Start

2023-10-17

Primary completion

2026-04-13

Completion

2026-08-31

Publications

• Background Kaskie B, Ayyagari P, Milavetz G, Shane D, Arora K. The Increasing Use of Cannabis Among Older Americans: A Public Health Crisis or Viable Policy Alternative? Gerontologist. 2017 Nov 10;57(6):1166-1172. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnw166.
• Background Solomon HV, Greenstein AP, DeLisi LE. Cannabis Use in Older Adults: A Perspective. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2021 May-Jun 01;29(3):225-233. doi: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000289.
• Background Mahvan TD, Hilaire ML, Mann A, Brown A, Linn B, Gardner T, Lai B. Marijuana Use in the Elderly: Implications and Considerations. Consult Pharm. 2017 Jun 1;32(6):341-351. doi: 10.4140/TCP.n.2017.341.
• Background Gagliese L. What do experimental pain models tell us about aging and clinical pain? Pain Med. 2007 Sep;8(6):475-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00360.x. No abstract available.
• Background Moore AR, Clinch D. Underlying mechanisms of impaired visceral pain perception in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Jan;52(1):132-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52023.x.
• Background Lautenbacher S, Kunz M, Strate P, Nielsen J, Arendt-Nielsen L. Age effects on pain thresholds, temporal summation and spatial summation of heat and pressure pain. Pain. 2005 Jun;115(3):410-418. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2005.03.025.
• Background Backonja MM, Attal N, Baron R, Bouhassira D, Drangholt M, Dyck PJ, Edwards RR, Freeman R, Gracely R, Haanpaa MH, Hansson P, Hatem SM, Krumova EK, Jensen TS, Maier C, Mick G, Rice AS, Rolke R, Treede RD, Serra J, Toelle T, Tugnoli V, Walk D, Walalce MS, Ware M, Yarnitsky D, Ziegler D. Value of quantitative sensory testing in neurological and pain disorders: NeuPSIG consensus. Pain. 2013 Sep;154(9):1807-1819. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.05.047. Epub 2013 Jun 3.
• Background Griffiths RR, Troisi JR, Silverman K, Mumford GK. Multiple-choice procedure: an efficient approach for investigating drug reinforcement in humans. Behav Pharmacol. 1993 Feb;4(1):3-13.

Drugs

Indications