Cannabinoids in Bipolar Affective Disorder
Summary
Some people with bipolar disorder who use cannabis (marijuana) claim that it eases the symptoms of depression and mania. There are many chemicals (called cannabinoids) found in cannabis but two particular ones appear to have medicinal (therapeutic) effects. These two compounds are: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids appear to have mood, anxiety, and sedative effects as well as have antipsychotic and anticonvulsant properties. This study will try to find out if these cannabinoids can be of benefit as an add-on treatment in bipolar disorder and what effects it has on thinking power and memory.
Description
This study will be a within-subject, random order, double-blind cross-over study with standard clinical and neuropsychological ratings. Duration is 13 weeks per subject. Clinical assessments including mood ratings will be performed weekly. Instructions and practice on the use of the spray will be given under supervision during a 2-week run-in period before baseline. Patients can control the dosage of cannabinoids according to their symptoms by administering up to a maximum of 48 pump-controlled sprays per day. Patients will be asked to abstain from using cannabis (other than the study drug) during the study. Patients will be treated for 4 weeks with either the sublingual THC:CBD spray or placebo spray. This will be followed by a 2-week washout period before another 4 weeks of treatment with whichever study medication was not initially used. Neurocognitive testing will be performed 3 times during the study. A mood diary will be completed daily by each patient at home.
Study Design
Allocation: Randomized, Control: Placebo Control, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment
Conditions
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Intervention
Synthetic cannabinoids (1:1 ratio of THC % CBD)
Location
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia
Vancouver
British Columbia
Canada
V6T 2A1
Status
Active, not recruiting
Source
University of British Columbia
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00397605
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Bipolar Disorder
A major affective disorder marked by severe mood swings (manic or major depressive episodes) and a tendency to remission and recurrence.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
A syndrome characterized by depressions that recur annually at the same time each year, usually during the winter months. Other symptoms include anxiety, irritability, decreased energy, increased appetite (carbohydrate cravings), increased duration of sleep, and weight gain. SAD (seasonal affective disorder) can be treated by daily exposure to bright artificial lights (PHOTOTHERAPY), during the season of recurrence.
Antimanic Agents
Agents that are used to treat bipolar disorders or mania associated with other affective disorders.
Cyclothymic Disorder
An affective disorder characterized by periods of depression and hypomania. These may be separated by periods of normal mood.
Odds Ratio
The ratio of two odds. The exposure-odds ratio for case control data is the ratio of the odds in favor of exposure among cases to the odds in favor of exposure among noncases. The disease-odds ratio for a cohort or cross section is the ratio of the odds in favor of disease among the exposed to the odds in favor of disease among the unexposed. The prevalence-odds ratio refers to an odds ratio derived cross-sectionally from studies of prevalent cases.
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