Multimodal magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography exploration of the acute effects of THC exposure on neural noise and information transmission within working memory networks

摘要 大麻是使用最广泛的物质之一。随着医疗和娱乐的合法化， 在全国范围内的大麻扫荡中，大麻的使用和滥用预计将增加，可能与 对风险的感知逐渐降低。此外，大麻的精神活性成分，δ-9- 四氢大麻酚（THC），近几十年来在娱乐性大麻中一直在增加， 因此，大麻，特别是THC含量高的大麻，与有害的认知和 心理健康结果。THC被认为通过改变大脑的传输能力来破坏认知功能， 并在对感知、学习和记忆至关重要的皮层网络中处理信息。因此， 迫切需要了解THC暴露的心理生理学。本研究的目的是评估 THC对近端（脑磁图/脑电图; MEG/EEG）和远端 （认知）对大脑功能的测量。这项为期2天的双盲、安慰剂对照、交叉研究将 对多模态MEG/EEG信号使用高级源分析，以确定活动的变化， THC在非大麻使用者中诱导的认知神经网络的连接性（n = 20）。据我们所知， 这项概念验证研究将首次使用MEG/EEG来检查THC对大脑的急性影响 活动性和连通性以及它们与认知的关系。

ABSTRACT Cannabis is one of the most widely used substances. As the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis sweeps across the country, the use and misuse of cannabis is expected to increase, likely related to a decreasing perception of risk. Also, the concentration of the psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has been on the rise in recreationally available cannabis over recent decades, and of consequence, cannabis, especially high in THC, has been associated with detrimental cognitive and mental health outcomes. THC is thought to disrupt cognitive function by altering the brain’s ability to transfer and process information in cortical networks critical for perception, learning, and memory. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the psychophysiology of THC exposure. The objective of this study is to evaluate acute effects of THC on proximal (magnetoencephalography / electroencephalography; MEG/EEG) and distal (cognition) measures of brain function. This 2-test day, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study will use advanced source analyses for multimodal MEG/EEG signals to determine the changes in the activity and connectivity of cognitive neural networks induced by THC in non-users of cannabis (n = 20). To our knowledge, this proof of concept study will be the first to use MEG/EEG to examine the acute effects of THC on brain activity and connectivity and their relation to cognition.