Scientists scan brains to uncover cannabinoid receptor secrets in mental illness and addiction

NCT ID NCT01730781

First seen Apr 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 21, 2026 · Updated 13 times

Summary

This study uses a special PET scan tracer called [11-C]OMAR to measure cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Researchers will compare healthy volunteers to people with schizophrenia, cannabis dependence, PTSD, opioid use disorder, and other conditions. The goal is to understand how these receptors differ across disorders, which may inform future research. Participants receive one or more PET scans, and cannabis users will be scanned at different stages of abstinence.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Connecticut Mental Health Center, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit

    RECRUITING

    New Haven, Connecticut, 06519, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

[11-C]OMAR (a radioactive tracer for PET scans)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could help researchers understand how brain cannabinoid receptors differ in various mental health and addiction conditions, potentially guiding future treatments.

What could go wrong

This is an observational imaging study, not a treatment trial. It is early-stage research and may not directly lead to new therapies. Results may not apply to all populations.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cannabis dependence opiate dependence post-traumatic stress disorder Schizophrenia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.