Exploring the basis of cannabinoid analgesia in humans

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Cannabis is historically used to provide analgesia (pain relief) but how it does so remains debatable. Of the cannabinoids (cannabis-like drugs) derived from cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (?-9-THC) is found to provide analgesia in patients. Animal studies have shown that ?-9-THC and other cannabinoids work by activating ‘receptors‘ which are found in pain processing areas of the brain. However, such results cannot always be translated to man, and further development of cannabinoids for use in patients requires better understanding of how and where they act in the human brain. This can be achieved by using functional magnetic resonance imaging to record how the various brain areas respond to pain when influenced by ?-9-THC. The imaging technique is well-established and the studies would be undertaken in healthy volunteers in whom experimental pain can be safely and reversibly induced. The research would provide insight into the functions of specific brain areas during pain processing and inform the development of future cannabinoids that target them for pain relief.