Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Brain scans probe why cannabis hits men and women differently

NCT ID NCT07815691

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 11, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026

Summary

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina are studying whether THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, affects the brain's reward system differently in men and women who use cannabis regularly. About 78 adults aged 21 to 45 who use cannabis at least four days a week will take part. Over three visits, participants receive either oral dronabinol (a THC medication) or a placebo, complete questionnaires about drug effects, and undergo brain scans that measure glutamate, a chemical linked to reward. Blood samples are also collected to look at genetic variants in the endocannabinoid system.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
dronabinol, an oral form of THC
What this could lead to
If researchers find sex differences in how THC affects brain chemistry and reward, it could help explain why cannabis use disorder develops differently in men and women and point toward more personalized treatments.
What could go wrong
This is a small, short-term study in people who already use cannabis regularly, so its findings may not apply to occasional users or the general population. The brain scans and questionnaires capture brief effects, not long-term outcomes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 78 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jul 2031

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

21 to 45 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Able and willing to provide informed consent 2. Age 21-45 3. Meet DSM-5 criteria for CUD 4. Report cannabis use ≥4 days/week on average in the last 30 days at screening 5. Provide a THC-positive urine sample at screening 6. BMI between 18-30 kg/m2 7. Regular menstrual cycle (females only) 8. Willing to use non-hormonal birth control for the duration of study participation (females only) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Meet DSM-5 criteria for any lifetime psychotic or bipolar disorder 2. Urinalysis results indicative of recent drug use other than cannabis 3. Current use of any psychotropic medication or over-the-counter supplements deemed by the investigator to have the potential to interfere with study outcomes 4. Current treatment-seeking for CUD or other SUDs 5. Meet DSM-5 criteria for any current psychiatric disorder other than nicotine or caffeine use disorder, mild alcohol use disorder, CUD, or ADHD 6. Females who are pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant 7. MRI contraindications (e.g., metallic implants, claustrophobia) 8. Significant history of nausea associated with the use of cannabis and/or THC 9. History of cardiac or seizure disorders 10. Allergy to sesame oil

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Cannabis use disorder are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cannabis dependence substance-related disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Cannabis use disorder

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Medical University of South Carolina

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.