Research Components

The MUSC SCORE is building on the findings from the previous funding period, focusing on sex and gender differences in cannabis use and use disorders across the lifespan, which are increasingly problematic in the United States today. Preclinical and clinical studies will focus on mechanistic underpinnings and potential sex and gender-specific therapeutic approaches.

Preclinical

Sex Differences in THC/CBD Self-Administration of Vulnerable Age Groups throughout the Life Span

PI: Rachel Penrod-Martin, PhD; Co-I: Onder Albayram, PhD

As medicalization and legalization of cannabis products for recreational use has increased use across many sensitive age groups, understanding how sex and age interact to perpetuate cannabis use disorder is more crucial now than ever. The goal of the Preclinical Component is to examine the behavioral and biological underpinnings of cannabis use that differ between sex and age groups and enhance and inform the clinical projects through investigation of biological endpoints associated with THC use in emerging adults, aged adults, and gestational females using translationally relevant behavioral and biological assessments in rats.

Cannabis & Emerging Adults

Sex Differences in the Interface between Cannabis Use and Stress Among Emerging Adults

MPIs: Kevin Gray, MD; Rachel Tomko, PhD

Among the physiological systems most important to brain development in emerging adulthood is the endocannabinoid system, which among other roles facilitates cognitive and behavioral processing, including the underpinnings of stress management and resiliency. Sex differences in endocannabinoid system development have been identified, and emerging evidence indicates a bidirectional relationship between stress exposure and the endocannabinoid system during emerging adulthood. Thus, the interface between cannabis use and stress is a particularly important focus for sex differences research in emerging adults (age 18 into late 20s). Given the dynamics at play in this critical stage when cannabis use is most prevalent, developmentally informed research is needed to guide tailored clinical interventions. This project is designed to elucidate sex differences in the nexus of cannabis use and stress among emerging adults with cannabis use disorder to guide the development of tailored treatments.

Cannabis & Postpartum Women

Impact of Stress and Craving on Return to Cannabis Use in Postpartum Women

MPIs: Connie Guille, MD, MSCR; Kathleen Brady, MD, PhD

This project builds on previous SCOR/E work identifying stress and progesterone as important targets in stress-related craving and relapse to tobacco (Baker et al., 2021; Tomko et al., 2020), cocaine (Moran-Santa Maria et al., 2018; Sherman et al., 2020) and cannabis use (Sherman et al., 2019) in women, expanding the focus to the previously unstudied population of pregnant and postpartum women and leveraging the predictable real-world, naturalistic stressor of the postpartum period. It tests novel hypotheses that will inform the development of innovative psychological and biological treatments for postpartum cannabis use.

Cannabis & Older Adults

Stress-Reactivity and Cannabis Use in Cannabis-Using Older Adults

MPIs: Andreana Benitez, PhD; Aimee McRae-Clark, PharmD, BCPP

This project focuses on the impact of cannabis use in a population (i.e. older adults) that is significantly under-studied in the broader field of cannabis research. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identifies age 50 as a key age at which to start tailoring substance use assessments and interventions for older adults. This project aims to examine cognitive function in cannabis-using older men and women, evaluate the impact of stress on cannabis use and cognitive functioning in older adults, and examine the impact of ovarian hormones on cognitive functioning, stress, and cannabis craving. The results from this project will be critical to devising a comprehensive theoretical model of how cannabis impacts cognitive aging that can be empirically tested in a subsequent longitudinal study. Findings may directly inform sex-specific public health messaging regarding cannabis use as well as identify potential clinical interventions for older adults.