Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28567696›Full record

Trial reportPsychopharmacology2017

Blunted stress reactivity in chronic cannabis users.

Carrie Cuttler, Alexander Spradlin, Amy T Nusbaum, Paul Whitney, John M Hinson, Ryan J McLaughlin

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 46 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
46citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

46 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Impact of a computerized distress intolerance intervention on electrocortical reactivity to cannabis and threat cues: A randomized controlled trial.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2022
    Trial
  4. Article
  5. Identifying behavioral and biological predictors of cannabis vapor self-administration in rats.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Endocannabinoid signaling in stress, nausea, and vomiting.Neurogastroenterology and motility · 2025
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. A Review of the Effects of Adolescent Cannabis Use on Physical Health.The Psychiatric clinics of North America · 2023
    Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. A Review of the Effects of Adolescent Cannabis Use on Physical Health.Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America · 2023
    Review
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

6 authors.

Carrie CuttlerDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA. carrie.cuttler@wsu.edu.
Alexander SpradlinDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.
Amy T NusbaumDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.
Paul WhitneyDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.
John M HinsonDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.
Ryan J McLaughlinDepartment of Psychology, Washington State University, PO Box 644820, Pullman, WA, 99164-4820, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleOne of the most commonly cited reasons for chronic cannabis use is to cope with stress. Consistent with this, cannabis users have shown reduced emotional arousal and dampened stress reactivity in response to negative imagery.

objectivesTo our knowledge, the present study represents the first to examine the effects of an acute stress manipulation on subjective stress and salivary cortisol in chronic cannabis users compared to non-users.

methodsForty cannabis users and 42 non-users were randomly assigned to complete either the stress or no stress conditions of the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST). The stress condition of the MAST manipulates both physiological (placing hand in ice bath) and psychosocial stress (performing math under conditions of social evaluation). Participants gave baseline subjective stress ratings before, during, and after the stress manipulation. Cortisol was measured from saliva samples obtained before and after the stress manipulation. Further, cannabis cravings and symptoms of withdrawal were measured.

resultsSubjective stress ratings and cortisol levels were significantly higher in non-users in the stress condition relative to non-users in the no stress condition. In contrast, cannabis users demonstrated blunted stress reactivity; specifically, they showed no increase in cortisol and a significantly smaller increase in subjective stress ratings. The stress manipulation had no impact on cannabis users' self-reported cravings or withdrawal symptoms.

conclusionChronic cannabis use is associated with blunted stress reactivity. Future research is needed to determine whether this helps to confer resiliency or vulnerability to stress-related psychopathology as well as the mechanisms underlying this effect.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalAdultCannabisEmotionsFemaleHumansHydrocortisoneMaleMarijuana SmokingMiddle AgedSalivaSelf ReportStress, PsychologicalSubstance Withdrawal SyndromeHydrocortisoneCannabisCortisolCravingMarijuanaStressWithdrawal

Identifiers

PMID28567696

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.