The effects of cannabidiol on subjective states, cognition, and psychomotor function in healthy adults: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Despite being added to numerous products, little is known about cannabidiol. Drowsiness is a self-reported side effect, which could impact cognitive functioning. To determine whether cannabidiol impacts cognition and psychomotor function, a volunteer sample of healthy, college students were recruited for this randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, feasibility trial from April-November 2021. Participants completed a baseline survey, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Visual Analog Mood Scale, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Trail Making Test, Psychomotor Vigilance Test, and Simple Reaction Time Tests. Participants were then randomized and allocated to receive 300 mg cannabidiol oil (N = 21) or placebo (N = 19). After 120 min, participants retook the tests. Performance between groups was compared using Analysis of Covariance and multi-level Negative Binomial regression. Participants averaged 21 ± 3 years of age, and 52% were female. Self-reported anxiety did not change posttreatment. Performances on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Visual Analog Mood Scale, and Psychomotor Vigilance Test increased for both groups. After accounting for baseline scores, attention lapse duration significantly increased for those receiving cannabidiol compared to placebo in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (76 vs. 66 ms; p = 0.02). Auditory reaction time improved in the cannabidiol group versus placebo for one sound emitted during the Simple Reaction Time Test (241 vs. 245 ms; p = 0.02), but the number of early responses increased from 0.3 to 0.8 for those receiving cannabidiol. While performance on most tests was similar between those receiving cannabidiol and placebo, cannabidiol might affect certain aspects of vigilance. More research and larger trials are needed.

Keywords: Cannabis sativa; anxiety; cannabidiol; cognition; psychomotor function; sedation.