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Novel Pharmacotherapeutic Interventions for Cannabis Use Disorder

  • Cannabis (F Filbey, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Cannabis use disorder is associated with a variety of consequences, and treatment outcomes are no better than for other substances of abuse. To date, no medications have been approved for the treatment of cannabis use disorder. Based on the available literature, standard psychotropic agents such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants do not appear to be effective. Somewhat promising findings have been reported with the anxiolytic buspirone, and the glutamate modulating drug N-acetylcysteine. Gabapentin showed positive effects for cognition and cannabis use, while cannabinoids may decrease cannabis withdrawal symptoms. Several promising agents to test in humans were identified. The neurosteroid pregnenolone blocks the behavioral effects of tetrahydrocannabinol in an animal model. Cognition may be a domain to target to reduce cannabis use. Thus, medications that modulate cholinergic systems may offer promising treatments. Finally, hypocretin/orexin receptor-1, NMDA receptor, and G-protein-coupled receptor-modulating agents might decrease cannabis craving or withdrawal symptoms. These recent approaches and hypotheses suggest more novel approaches to treating CUD and may be vital in finding treatments for cannabis use disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8849, USA

    Brittany L. Mason, Alaa Mustafa & E. Sherwood Brown

  2. Center for Brain Health, University of Texas at Dallas, 2200 W. Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX, USA

    Francesca Filbey

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  1. Brittany L. Mason
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  2. Alaa Mustafa
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Correspondence to E. Sherwood Brown.

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Conflict of Interest

Brittany Mason, Alaa Husain, and Francesca Filbey declare that they have no conflict of interest.

E. Sherwood Brown has research grants from, Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and has received an honorarium from Genentech.

Financial Support: Supported in part by the NIDA Summer Research Program

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cannabis

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Mason, B.L., Mustafa, A., Filbey, F. et al. Novel Pharmacotherapeutic Interventions for Cannabis Use Disorder. Curr Addict Rep 3, 214–220 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0094-y

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