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An exploratory study of the combined effects of orally administered methylphenidate and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cardiovascular function, subjective effects, and performance in healthy adults.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kollins, SH; Schoenfelder, EN; English, JS; Holdaway, A; Van Voorhees, E; O'Brien, BR; Dew, R; Chrisman, AK
Published in: J Subst Abuse Treat
January 2015

Methylphenidate (MPH) is commonly prescribed for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and is often used illicitly by young adults. Illicit users often coadminister MPH with marijuana. Little is known about physiologic and subjective effects of these substances used in combination. In this double-blind, cross-over experiment, sixteen healthy adult subjects free from psychiatric illness (including ADHD) and reporting modest levels of marijuana use participated in 6 experimental sessions wherein all combinations of placebo or 10mg oral doses of delta-9-tetrahydocannibinol (THC); and 0mg, 10mg and 40 mg of MPH were administered. Sessions were separated by at least 48 hours. Vital signs, subjective effects, and performance measure were collected. THC and MPH showed additive effects on heart rate and rate pressure product (e.g., peak heart rate for 10mg THC+0mg, 10mg, and 40 mg MPH=89.1, 95.9, 102.0 beats/min, respectively). Main effects of THC and MPH were also observed on a range of subjective measures of drug effects, and significant THC dose × MPH dose interactions were found on measures of "Feel Drug," "Good Effects," and "Take Drug Again." THC increased commission errors on a continuous performance test (CPT) and MPH reduced reaction time variability on this measure. Effects of THC, MPH, and their combination were variable on a measure of working memory (n-back task), though in general, MPH decreased reaction times and THC mitigated these effects. These results suggest that the combination of low to moderate doses of MPH and THC produces unique effects on cardiovascular function, subjective effects and performance measures.

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Published In

J Subst Abuse Treat

DOI

EISSN

1873-6483

Publication Date

January 2015

Volume

48

Issue

1

Start / End Page

96 / 103

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Substance Abuse
  • Psychotropic Drugs
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Pilot Projects
  • Methylphenidate
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Heart Rate
  • Female
 

Citation

APA
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Kollins, S. H., Schoenfelder, E. N., English, J. S., Holdaway, A., Van Voorhees, E., O’Brien, B. R., … Chrisman, A. K. (2015). An exploratory study of the combined effects of orally administered methylphenidate and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cardiovascular function, subjective effects, and performance in healthy adults. J Subst Abuse Treat, 48(1), 96–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2014.07.014
Kollins, Scott H., Erin N. Schoenfelder, Joseph S. English, Alex Holdaway, Elizabeth Van Voorhees, Benjamin R. O’Brien, Rachel Dew, and Allan K. Chrisman. “An exploratory study of the combined effects of orally administered methylphenidate and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cardiovascular function, subjective effects, and performance in healthy adults.J Subst Abuse Treat 48, no. 1 (January 2015): 96–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2014.07.014.
Kollins SH, Schoenfelder EN, English JS, Holdaway A, Van Voorhees E, O’Brien BR, Dew R, Chrisman AK. An exploratory study of the combined effects of orally administered methylphenidate and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cardiovascular function, subjective effects, and performance in healthy adults. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2015 Jan;48(1):96–103.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Subst Abuse Treat

DOI

EISSN

1873-6483

Publication Date

January 2015

Volume

48

Issue

1

Start / End Page

96 / 103

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Substance Abuse
  • Psychotropic Drugs
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Pilot Projects
  • Methylphenidate
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Heart Rate
  • Female