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Examining Genetically-Informed Etiologic Models Of Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Recreational Cannabis Use Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks
Examining Genetically-Informed Etiologic Models Of Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Recreational Cannabis Use Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks
Theses and Dissertations
The college years encompass a period of increased risk recreational cannabis use (RCU), as well as a time of increased risk for trauma exposure and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Given the high co-occurrence between RCU and PTSD, and the potentially negative consequences of the two (e.g., worse academic outcomes), there is a need to understand the etiologic mechanisms of these commonly co-occurring conditions. Two primary phenotypic models exist: self-medication model (i.e., PTSD to RCU) and the high-risk model (i.e., RCU to PTSD). To date, there are two existing studies longitudinally examining the etiologic models proposed to explain co-occurring RCU …
The Impact Of Cannabis And Alcohol Use On The Management Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Joshua Eric Sellner
The Impact Of Cannabis And Alcohol Use On The Management Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Joshua Eric Sellner
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation sought to contribute to the evidence-base of diabetes management and acute complications associated with alcohol and cannabis use among individuals with Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM). Three interconnected studies were initiated to complete this goal. First, existing literature surrounding the potential consequences of cannabis consumption among individuals with T1DM were summarized within a systematic review. Study results were combined to provide a single measure of association through a meta-analysis. Second, identified associations were further investigated through a cross-sectional study using the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth data on alcohol and cannabis use on diabetes management and acute complications including …
Resting State Functional Connectivity In The Default Mode Network: Relationships Between Cannabis Use, Gender, And Cognition In Adolescents And Young Adults, Megan Ritchay
Theses and Dissertations
Introduction: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States, and nearly 1 in 4 young adults are current cannabis users. The psychoactive component of cannabis, THC, is active at cannabinoid receptors, type 1, or CB1 receptors. CB1 receptors play a critical role in neural development, and chronic cannabis use causes desensitization and downregulation of these receptors. Chronic cannabis use is associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the default mode network (DMN) in adolescents and young adults, although results are somewhat inconsistent across studies, likely due to differing methodologies. Additionally, cannabis effects appear …
Characterizing Patterns Of Cannabis Use And Related Health Effects Among Young Adults Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Alyssa Rudy
Theses and Dissertations
Introduction: Rapid changes in cannabis use policy and prevalence, particularly among young adults, and the lack of information regarding cannabis harms warrant investigation regarding the daily use patterns of cannabis users. Little is known regarding how variability in cannabis use frequency and administration method use patterns may be associated with differential acute cannabis-related health effects (i.e., subjective intoxication and respiratory symptoms). The purpose of the study was to characterize daily and weekly cannabis use patterns and associated cannabis-related intoxication and respiratory symptoms and test the interactions of cannabis use frequency and cannabis administration method use on cannabis-related intoxication and respiratory …
Developmental Trajectories In Cannabis Use: Predispositions, Peers, And Activity Participation, Nathaniel S. Thomas
Developmental Trajectories In Cannabis Use: Predispositions, Peers, And Activity Participation, Nathaniel S. Thomas
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the overall and conditional influences of a polygenic score for cannabis initiation, various forms of activity participation, peer deviance, and time on recent cannabis use. Data came from a longitudinal sample of undergraduate college students and was stratified into European American (NEA=3010) and African American (NAA=1308) subsamples for genetic analyses. Engagement with church activities predicted lower probability of cannabis use. Peer deviance predicted higher probability of cannabis use Engagement with community activities moderated in the influence of the polygenic risk score in the EA subsample, such that any level of engagement with community …
Cannabis-Using Youth Demonstrated Blunted Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activation, But Normal Functional Connectivity, During An Emotional Go/No-Go Task, Kristin Elizabeth Maple
Cannabis-Using Youth Demonstrated Blunted Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activation, But Normal Functional Connectivity, During An Emotional Go/No-Go Task, Kristin Elizabeth Maple
Theses and Dissertations
Cannabis use has been associated with deficits in self-regulation, including inhibitory control. Cannabis users have previously exhibited both structural and functional deficits in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a region involved in self-regulation of emotional response and inhibitory control. The present study aimed to examine whether abstinent cannabis users demonstrated abnormal functional activation and connectivity of the bilateral rACC during an emotional inhibitory processing task, and whether gender moderated these relationships. The study also aimed to examine whether bilateral rACC activation and connectivity in cannabis users was related to perceived stress. It was hypothesized that cannabis users would exhibit …
A Longitudinal Investigation Of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Cannabis Use Phenotypes Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks
A Longitudinal Investigation Of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Cannabis Use Phenotypes Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks
Theses and Dissertations
College students have an increased risk for cannabis use, trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cannabis use disorder (CUD) and PTSD comorbidity is high, and given the negative consequences of the comorbidity (e.g., poor academic outcomes), there is a need to understand comorbid CUD-PTSD etiology. Two primary etiologic models exist: self-medication (i.e., PTSD à CUD) and high-risk (i.e., CUD à PTSD) hypotheses. This study 1) examined the prevalence and predictors of cannabis use and interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure; 2) investigated the relationship between cannabis use and IPT; and 3) examined cannabis use, IPT, and PTSD through mediational self-medication and …
A Survey Of Cannabis Consumption And Implications Of An Experimental Policy Manipulation Among Young Adults, Alyssa K. Rudy
A Survey Of Cannabis Consumption And Implications Of An Experimental Policy Manipulation Among Young Adults, Alyssa K. Rudy
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this online cross-sectional study was to identify cannabis user profiles by administration method and examine how differential cannabis policies influence intentions among young adults. Participants were assigned randomly to one of three hypothetical cannabis policy conditions (recreationally legal; medically legal; illegal). Within conditions, participants completed measures regarding cannabis use, including administration methods, cannabis attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, and intentions. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to determine sub-groups of past 30-day cannabis users by administration method followed by sub-group comparisons. Condition effects on intentions and associated variables were examined using ANCOVA. Four classes (Low-Blunt, Low-Bong, …
Intrinsic Frontolimbic Connectivity And Associated Patterns On Reported Mood Symptoms In Young Adult Cannabis Users, Skyler Gabriel Shollenbarger
Intrinsic Frontolimbic Connectivity And Associated Patterns On Reported Mood Symptoms In Young Adult Cannabis Users, Skyler Gabriel Shollenbarger
Theses and Dissertations
Introduction: Recent legislation changes regarding cannabis in the United States highlights the importance of investigating the impact of regular cannabis use on populations, such as emerging adults, that will likely drive the market given their greater daily use (see Johnston et al., 2014). The endocannbinoid system plays a role in neurodevelopment (see Bossong & Niesink, 2010) and has been implicated in behavioral and emotional processing (see Moreira & Lutz, 2008; see Solinas et al., 2008; see Covey et al., 2014). The current study utilized a multisite functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset of intrinsic (a.k.a. no task/resting state) frontolimbic connectivity …
Cannabis Use And Affective Processing: A Brain Structure Analysis, Kristin E. Maple
Cannabis Use And Affective Processing: A Brain Structure Analysis, Kristin E. Maple
Theses and Dissertations
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug amongst adolescents and young adults in the United States. Previously, cannabis and its components have been associated with differences in affective processing and neural functioning. Participants (ages 16-25) were cannabis users and non-users excluded for psychiatric disorders, major medical conditions, and excessive other drug use. A series of multiple regressions examined whether past year cannabis use and cannabis x gender predicted measures of emotional face processing (using the PennCNP affective battery) as well as volumes in bilateral prefrontal, temporal, limbic, and cerebellar regions, as well as frontolimbic white matter tracts. Subsequently, Pearson …
Differential Roles Of The Two Major Endocannabinoid Hydrolyzing Enzymes In Cannabinoid Receptor Tolerance And Somatic Withdrawal, Joel Schlosburg
Differential Roles Of The Two Major Endocannabinoid Hydrolyzing Enzymes In Cannabinoid Receptor Tolerance And Somatic Withdrawal, Joel Schlosburg
Theses and Dissertations
While there is currently active debate over possible therapeutic applications of marijuana and cannabis-based compounds, consistently their primary drawbacks have been the psychoactive properties, dependence, and abuse potential. Prolonged administration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in marijuana, demonstrates both tolerance and physical withdrawal in both preclinical and clinical studies. Repeated THC administration also produces CB1 receptor adaptations in the form of reduced activation of receptors, along with a downregulation of membrane surface receptors, in many brain regions involved in THC-associated behaviors. The increased need for drug to maintain therapeutic effects, and a withdrawal syndrome following discontinuation of use, …
Effects Of Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein (Crip1a) On Cannabinoid Receptor (Cb1) Function, Tricia Smith
Effects Of Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein (Crip1a) On Cannabinoid Receptor (Cb1) Function, Tricia Smith
Theses and Dissertations
EFFECTS OF CANNABINOID RECEPTOR INTERACTING PROTEIN (CRIP1a) ON CANNABINOID (CB1) RECEPTOR FUNCTION. By Tricia Hardt Smith, B.S., M.S. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. Major Director: Dana E. Selley, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology This dissertation examines modulation of cannabinoid CB1 receptor function by Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein (CRIP1a), a novel protein that binds the C-terminus of CB1 receptors. In Human embryonic kidney cells expressing human CB1 receptors (hCB1-HEK) and hCB1-HEK cells stably co-expressing CRIP1a (hCB1-HEK-CRIP1a), quantitative immunoblotting revealed a CRIP1a/CB1 …
Effect Of Repeated Dosing Of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, The Major Psychoactive Ingredient Of Marijuana, On Memory In Mice, Floride Niyuhire
Effect Of Repeated Dosing Of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, The Major Psychoactive Ingredient Of Marijuana, On Memory In Mice, Floride Niyuhire
Theses and Dissertations
Purpose: Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. However, marijuana and cannabinoid derivatives have potential therapeutic uses. Studies in cannabis users have yielded contradictory results with regard to long-term effects on cognitive functions. There is no prospective study assessing this issue, and such studies may raise ethical issues in humans, whereas mice have been shown to exhibit similar cannabinoid-mediated behaviors as humans. The purpose of this study was to assess the consequences of chronic administration of Δ9-THC, the major psychoactive component of marijuana, in a mouse memory model. Methods: In Experiment 1, the dose-response relationship …