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Cannabis Dampens the Effects of Music in Brain Regions Sensitive to Reward and Emotion
Tom P. Freeman Rebecca A. Pope Matthew B. Wall James A. Bisby Maartje Luijten Chandni Hindocha Claire Mokrysz Will Lawn Abigail Moss Michael A. P. Bloomfield
Tom P. Freeman
Rebecca A. Pope
Matthew B. Wall
James A. Bisby
Maartje Luijten
Chandni Hindocha
Claire Mokrysz
Will Lawn
Abigail Moss
Michael A. P. Bloomfield
Abstract
Background
Despite the current shift towards permissive cannabis policies, few studies have investigated the pleasurable effects users seek. Here, we investigate the effects of cannabis on listening to music, a rewarding activity that frequently occurs in the context of recreational cannabis use. We additionally tested how these effects are influenced by cannabidiol, which may offset cannabis-related harms.
Methods
Across 3 sessions, 16 cannabis users inhaled cannabis with cannabidiol, cannabis without cannabidiol, and placebo. We compared their response to music relative to control excerpts of scrambled sound during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging within regions identified in a meta-analysis of music-evoked reward and emotion. All results were False Discovery Rate corrected (P<.05).
Results
Compared with placebo, cannabis without cannabidiol dampened response to music in bilateral auditory cortex (right: P=.005, left: P=.008), right hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (P=.025), right amygdala (P=.025), and right ventral striatum (P=.033). Across all sessions, the effects of music in this ventral striatal region correlated with pleasure ratings (P=.002) and increased functional connectivity with auditory cortex (right: P< .001, left: P< .001), supporting its involvement in music reward. Functional connectivity between right ventral striatum and auditory cortex was increased by cannabidiol (right: P=.003, left: P=.030), and cannabis with cannabidiol did not differ from placebo on any functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging measures. Both types of cannabis increased ratings of wanting to listen to music (P<.002) and enhanced sound perception (P<.001).
Conclusions
Cannabis dampens the effects of music in brain regions sensitive to reward and emotion. These effects were offset by a key cannabis constituent, cannabidol.
Keywords
cannabis, music, reward, pleasure, emotion
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
Book
Volume
21
Issue
1
Page Range
21-32
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open