Research Subjects
The ethical principle of distributive justice requires that the burdens and benefits of research be distributed fairly across the population with the condition under study. The external validity (generalizability) of a study is enhanced when the study sample is representative of the population with the condition under study. Thus, for both ethical and scientific reasons, recruiting of subjects for cannabis-administration studies should involve the broadest possible population. Such studies will...
Neuropsychological Assessment of Marijuana Users
Neuropsychological procedures are used in an effort to provide an unbiased estimate of the individual's cognitive capacity. In neurology and psychiatry, these tests have been used to help clinicians to better diagnose patients and to provide them with better treatments. We chose to use a fixed battery in our effort to assess neurobehavioral changes that might be associated with the chronic use of marijuana. That battery included tests of language skills, visual and spatial memory, attention,...
Nonclassical Cannabinoids
A second class of cannabinergic ligands possessing close similarity with CCs was developed at Pfizer in an effort to simplify the CC structure, while maintaining or improving biological activity 52-56 . This group of compounds is generally designated as nonclassical cannabinoids and includes AC-bicyclic e.g., 26 and 27, Fig. 2 and ACD-tricyclic e.g., 28, Fig. 2 ligands lacking the pyran Bring of CCs. NCCs share some of the key pharmacophores of the CCs, namely, the phenolic hydroxyl, the side...
Assessing Cannabis Craving in a Treatment Setting
In a treatment or clinic setting, patients are typically assessed with numerous forms, questionnaires, and interviews. To reduce burden on patients, we suggest using the 12-item MCQ rather than the full version. 3.2.1. Training on Completion of MCQ As discussed above Subheading 3.1.3. , patients should be given instructions before completing the MCQ see Note 2 . The use of the MCQ in a treatment setting may be more flexible than in a research setting. A patient's level of craving may be...
Cell Cultures Splenocyte Cell Cultures
First, sacrifice the mice by CO2 asphyxiation. Working in a sterile hood, cut into the animal's skin below the front legs,and pull away the skin to expose the peritoneum and the underlying internal organs. Make a sterile incision into the peritoneal membrane on the animal's left side. Then remove the spleen with forceps. Pool together three spleens from CB2R and CB2R- - mice groups and process them for primary splenocyte culture preparations. 2. Transfer the three spleens to a sterile 70- im...
Methods for the Synthesis of Cannabinergic Ligands
Nikas, Richard I. Duclos, Jr., and Alexandros Makriyannis During the last decade, numerous cannabinergic ligands with high affinity and selectivity profiles for cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 emerged from rigorously pursued structure-activity relationship studies. This chapter focuses on the synthetic aspects of key cannabi-noid receptor probes representing the different classes of cannabinergic ligands that encompasses classical cannabinoids CCs including some...
