Could a common diabetes drug shield the brain from High-Potency cannabis in psychosis?
NCT ID NCT07001878
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether metformin, a diabetes drug, can help protect brain white matter in young adults (18-25) with early psychosis who use cannabis. Participants will take metformin for 6 months and undergo brain scans and questionnaires. The goal is to see if this approach is feasible, not to prove it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Metformin (a diabetes drug used off-label to potentially protect brain white matter)
- What this could lead to
- If this pilot shows that metformin is feasible and may protect brain white matter, it could point toward a new way to reduce brain damage from high-potency cannabis in young people with psychosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility study (24 people) not designed to prove effectiveness. It may fail to show any benefit, and metformin can cause side effects like nausea or diarrhea.
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
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 24 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * This study will enroll individuals 18-25 years of age from the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program Exclusion Criteria: * Current stimulant use disorder
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Get notified about this study
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program
RECRUITINGHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Psychosis Intervention Early Recovery Program
RECRUITINGSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Scientists build a computer model of the brain to explain hearing voices
- Can schools catch teen mental health struggles before they escalate?
- Can rewards and remote coaching help people cut back on cannabis?
- Can a phone app curb cannabis use in early psychosis?
- Can a nasal insulin spray rev up brain energy and sharpen thinking in psychosis?
- Can a short tobacco break curb cannabis cravings?