Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27585792›Full record

Trial reportPsychopharmacology2016

Acute and chronic effects of cannabinoids on effort-related decision-making and reward learning: an evaluation of the cannabis 'amotivational' hypotheses.

Will Lawn, Tom P Freeman, Rebecca A Pope, Alyssa Joye, Lisa Harvey, Chandni Hindocha, Claire Mokrysz, Abigail Moss, Matthew B Wall, Michael Ap Bloomfield and 4 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Intact responses to non-drug rewards in long-term opioid maintenance treatment.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2019
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Nonacute effects of cannabis use on motivation and reward sensitivity in humans: A systematic review.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2018
    Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Simplified guideline for prescribing medical cannabinoids in primary care.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2018
    Guideline
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Does cannabidiol make cannabis safer? A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial of cannabis with four different CBD:THC ratios.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2023
    Trial
  10. Trial
  11. Trial
  12. Cannabis Dampens the Effects of Music in Brain Regions Sensitive to Reward and Emotion.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2018
    Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Trial
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Cannabis and Tobacco Co-Use Predicts Psychosis in Clinical High Risk Cohorts.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Will LawnClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. will.lawn.12@ucl.ac.uk.
Tom P FreemanClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Rebecca A PopeClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Alyssa JoyeClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Lisa HarveyClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Chandni HindochaClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Claire MokryszClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Abigail MossClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Matthew B WallClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Michael Ap BloomfieldClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Ravi K DasClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Celia Ja MorganClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
David J NuttNeuropsychopharmacology Unit, Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes Building, Du Cane Road, London, UK.
H Valerie CurranClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilMedical Research Council G0800268Medical Research Council MR/L023032/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleAnecdotally, both acute and chronic cannabis use have been associated with apathy, amotivation, and other reward processing deficits. To date, empirical support for these effects is limited, and no previous studies have assessed both acute effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), as well as associations with cannabis dependence.

objectivesThe objectives of this study were (1) to examine acute effects of cannabis with CBD (Cann + CBD) and without CBD (Cann-CBD) on effort-related decision-making and (2) to examine associations between cannabis dependence, effort-related decision-making and reward learning.

methodsIn study 1, 17 participants each received three acute vaporized treatments, namely Cann-CBD (8 mg THC), Cann + CBD (8 mg THC + 10 mg CBD) and matched placebo, followed by a 50 % dose top-up 1.5 h later, and completed the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT). In study 2, 20 cannabis-dependent participants were compared with 20 non-dependent, drug-using control participants on the EEfRT and the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) in a non-intoxicated state.

resultsCann-CBD reduced the likelihood of high-effort choices relative to placebo (p = 0.042) and increased sensitivity to expected value compared to both placebo (p = 0.014) and Cann + CBD (p = 0.006). The cannabis-dependent and control groups did not differ on the EEfRT. However, the cannabis-dependent group exhibited a weaker response bias than the control group on the PRT (p = 0.007).

conclusionsCannabis acutely induced a transient amotivational state and CBD influenced the effects of THC on expected value. In contrast, cannabis dependence was associated with preserved motivation alongside impaired reward learning, although confounding factors, including depression, cannot be disregarded. This is the first well powered, fully controlled study to objectively demonstrate the acute amotivational effects of THC.

Indexed as

Administration, InhalationAdultCannabidiolCannabinoid Receptor AgonistsCannabisChoice BehaviorDecision MakingDepressionDouble-Blind MethodDronabinolFemaleHumansLearningMaleMarijuana AbuseMarijuana SmokingCannabidiolCannabinoid Receptor AgonistsDronabinolAddictionCannabidiolCannabinoidsCannabisEffort-related decision-makingMotivationReinforcement learningRewardTHC

Identifiers

PMID27585792
PMCPMC5021728

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.