Cannabis use patterns and perception of acute pain during brief abstinence: sex-dependent associations with circulating cannabinoid levels.

Rationale: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically ve...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Psychopharmacology pp. 1 - 10
Autores principales: Pabon, Elisa, Baglot, Samantha L., Eversole, Alisha, Fong, Timothy, Hampilos, Katherine, Hilger, Anna, Lake, Stephanie, Murray, Conor H., Arout, Caroline A., Haney, Margaret, Tran, Adren, Torrens, Alexa, Piomelli, Daniele, Cooper, Ziva D.
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Apr2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=193114532&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 193114532
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00333158
        EJD
      jtl: Psychopharmacology
      issn: 00333158
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Apr2026
      pid: 237
      pub: Springer Nature
      place: New York, New York
    artinfo:
      ui:
        193114532
        10.1007/s00213-026-07063-2
        193114532
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 9
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Cannabis use patterns and perception of acute pain during brief abstinence: sex-dependent associations with circulating cannabinoid levels.
      aug:
        au:
          Pabon, Elisa
          Baglot, Samantha L.
          Eversole, Alisha
          Fong, Timothy
          Hampilos, Katherine
          Hilger, Anna
          Lake, Stephanie
          Murray, Conor H.
          Arout, Caroline A.
          Haney, Margaret
          Tran, Adren
          Torrens, Alexa
          Piomelli, Daniele
          Cooper, Ziva D.
        affil: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California
      sug:
      ab: Rationale: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically verified brief abstinence.Healthy adults (<italic>N</italic> = 75; 29 females, 46 males; ages 21–55) reporting past-month cannabis use were categorized into “Occasional” (< 5 days/week) or “Frequent” (≥ 5 days/week) groups. Weekly THC exposure (mg) was estimated from self-reported frequency, quantity, and THC concentration of cannabis used. After ≥ 12 h of biochemically verified abstinence, blood samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS for THC, 11-OH-THC, 11-COOH-THC, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Participants completed Cold Pressor Test pain threshold and tolerance assessments and subjective pain ratings. Mixed-effects models examined relationships between cannabis use patterns, circulating cannabinoids, and pain outcomes.Frequent users (<italic>N</italic> = 37; 6.2 ± 1.4 days/week) exhibited higher plasma THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-COOH-THC than occasional users (<italic>N</italic> = 38; 2.6 ± 1.6 days/week; all <italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Weekly THC exposure positively correlated with plasma THC and 11-COOH-THC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Females showed higher AEA, OEA, and PEA than males (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), independent of use patterns. Pain outcomes did not differ by cannabis use frequency or weekly THC exposure and were not associated with cannabinoid levels.Neither cannabis use frequency nor weekly THC exposure related to acute pain perception during brief abstinence, though weekly THC exposure was positively associated with circulating THC and 11-COOH-THC levels. Short-term abstinence did not produce hyperalgesia in healthy cannabis users. Studies with longer abstinence periods and in clinical populations are needed to elucidate cannabis-related pain mechanisms. [ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04385082; 5/11/2020]Objectives: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically verified brief abstinence.Healthy adults (<italic>N</italic> = 75; 29 females, 46 males; ages 21–55) reporting past-month cannabis use were categorized into “Occasional” (< 5 days/week) or “Frequent” (≥ 5 days/week) groups. Weekly THC exposure (mg) was estimated from self-reported frequency, quantity, and THC concentration of cannabis used. After ≥ 12 h of biochemically verified abstinence, blood samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS for THC, 11-OH-THC, 11-COOH-THC, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Participants completed Cold Pressor Test pain threshold and tolerance assessments and subjective pain ratings. Mixed-effects models examined relationships between cannabis use patterns, circulating cannabinoids, and pain outcomes.Frequent users (<italic>N</italic> = 37; 6.2 ± 1.4 days/week) exhibited higher plasma THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-COOH-THC than occasional users (<italic>N</italic> = 38; 2.6 ± 1.6 days/week; all <italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Weekly THC exposure positively correlated with plasma THC and 11-COOH-THC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Females showed higher AEA, OEA, and PEA than males (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), independent of use patterns. Pain outcomes did not differ by cannabis use frequency or weekly THC exposure and were not associated with cannabinoid levels.Neither cannabis use frequency nor weekly THC exposure related to acute pain perception during brief abstinence, though weekly THC exposure was positively associated with circulating THC and 11-COOH-THC levels. Short-term abstinence did not produce hyperalgesia in healthy cannabis users. Studies with longer abstinence periods and in clinical populations are needed to elucidate cannabis-related pain mechanisms. [ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04385082; 5/11/2020]Methods: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically verified brief abstinence.Healthy adults (<italic>N</italic> = 75; 29 females, 46 males; ages 21–55) reporting past-month cannabis use were categorized into “Occasional” (< 5 days/week) or “Frequent” (≥ 5 days/week) groups. Weekly THC exposure (mg) was estimated from self-reported frequency, quantity, and THC concentration of cannabis used. After ≥ 12 h of biochemically verified abstinence, blood samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS for THC, 11-OH-THC, 11-COOH-THC, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Participants completed Cold Pressor Test pain threshold and tolerance assessments and subjective pain ratings. Mixed-effects models examined relationships between cannabis use patterns, circulating cannabinoids, and pain outcomes.Frequent users (<italic>N</italic> = 37; 6.2 ± 1.4 days/week) exhibited higher plasma THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-COOH-THC than occasional users (<italic>N</italic> = 38; 2.6 ± 1.6 days/week; all <italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Weekly THC exposure positively correlated with plasma THC and 11-COOH-THC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Females showed higher AEA, OEA, and PEA than males (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), independent of use patterns. Pain outcomes did not differ by cannabis use frequency or weekly THC exposure and were not associated with cannabinoid levels.Neither cannabis use frequency nor weekly THC exposure related to acute pain perception during brief abstinence, though weekly THC exposure was positively associated with circulating THC and 11-COOH-THC levels. Short-term abstinence did not produce hyperalgesia in healthy cannabis users. Studies with longer abstinence periods and in clinical populations are needed to elucidate cannabis-related pain mechanisms. [ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04385082; 5/11/2020]Results: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically verified brief abstinence.Healthy adults (<italic>N</italic> = 75; 29 females, 46 males; ages 21–55) reporting past-month cannabis use were categorized into “Occasional” (< 5 days/week) or “Frequent” (≥ 5 days/week) groups. Weekly THC exposure (mg) was estimated from self-reported frequency, quantity, and THC concentration of cannabis used. After ≥ 12 h of biochemically verified abstinence, blood samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS for THC, 11-OH-THC, 11-COOH-THC, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Participants completed Cold Pressor Test pain threshold and tolerance assessments and subjective pain ratings. Mixed-effects models examined relationships between cannabis use patterns, circulating cannabinoids, and pain outcomes.Frequent users (<italic>N</italic> = 37; 6.2 ± 1.4 days/week) exhibited higher plasma THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-COOH-THC than occasional users (<italic>N</italic> = 38; 2.6 ± 1.6 days/week; all <italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Weekly THC exposure positively correlated with plasma THC and 11-COOH-THC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Females showed higher AEA, OEA, and PEA than males (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), independent of use patterns. Pain outcomes did not differ by cannabis use frequency or weekly THC exposure and were not associated with cannabinoid levels.Neither cannabis use frequency nor weekly THC exposure related to acute pain perception during brief abstinence, though weekly THC exposure was positively associated with circulating THC and 11-COOH-THC levels. Short-term abstinence did not produce hyperalgesia in healthy cannabis users. Studies with longer abstinence periods and in clinical populations are needed to elucidate cannabis-related pain mechanisms. [ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04385082; 5/11/2020]Conclusions: The impact of cannabis use patterns on pain perception during abstinence remains unclear.This study examined whether cannabis use frequency and weekly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure are associated with pain perception and circulating cannabinoid levels during biochemically verified brief abstinence.Healthy adults (<italic>N</italic> = 75; 29 females, 46 males; ages 21–55) reporting past-month cannabis use were categorized into “Occasional” (< 5 days/week) or “Frequent” (≥ 5 days/week) groups. Weekly THC exposure (mg) was estimated from self-reported frequency, quantity, and THC concentration of cannabis used. After ≥ 12 h of biochemically verified abstinence, blood samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS for THC, 11-OH-THC, 11-COOH-THC, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Participants completed Cold Pressor Test pain threshold and tolerance assessments and subjective pain ratings. Mixed-effects models examined relationships between cannabis use patterns, circulating cannabinoids, and pain outcomes.Frequent users (<italic>N</italic> = 37; 6.2 ± 1.4 days/week) exhibited higher plasma THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-COOH-THC than occasional users (<italic>N</italic> = 38; 2.6 ± 1.6 days/week; all <italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Weekly THC exposure positively correlated with plasma THC and 11-COOH-THC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Females showed higher AEA, OEA, and PEA than males (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), independent of use patterns. Pain outcomes did not differ by cannabis use frequency or weekly THC exposure and were not associated with cannabinoid levels.Neither cannabis use frequency nor weekly THC exposure related to acute pain perception during brief abstinence, though weekly THC exposure was positively associated with circulating THC and 11-COOH-THC levels. Short-term abstinence did not produce hyperalgesia in healthy cannabis users. Studies with longer abstinence periods and in clinical populations are needed to elucidate cannabis-related pain mechanisms. [ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04385082; 5/11/2020]
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N