Cannabinoids in Bipolar Affective Disorder

• Status: Withdrawn
• Trial end date: 2013-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Some people with bipolar disorder who use cannabis (marijuana) claim that it eases the symptoms of depression and mania. There are many chemicals (called cannabinoids) found in cannabis but two particular ones appear to have medicinal (therapeutic) effects. These two compounds are: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids appear to have mood, anxiety, and sedative effects as well as have antipsychotic and anticonvulsant properties. This study will try to find out if these cannabinoids can be of benefit as an add-on treatment in bipolar disorder and what effects it has on thinking power and memory.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Collaborator: Vancouver General Hospital

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Outpatients between the 19-60 years of age with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

• Women must not be currently pregnant and must use a reliable method of contraception for the duration of the study.

• Subjects must be on stable medication (4 weeks minimum) for their bipolar illness (symptomatic despite current treatment), must be able to provide written informed consent, must adequately understand written and verbal English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Those not meeting the inclusion criteria and those not able to give informed consent.

• Women who are currently pregnant or nursing.

• Those at immediate risk of harming self or others;

• those who have a clinically significant medical illness or other significant psychiatric illness;

• currently abusing alcohol or drugs;

• currently being treated with an investigational medication or medication that is contraindicated with cannabinoids;

• have a known allergy to cannabis-based products.