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Table 1 The effects of THC or its synthetic analogs on fear extinction and emotional memory processing

From: Effects of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol on aversive memories and anxiety: a review from human studies

Drug, dose, treatment regimen, and route of administration

Study’s design

Study’s details and outcome measures

Main results

Sex

Age in years

Health status

Cannabis consume

Reference

Dronabinol 7.5 mg, acute, 2 h prior to EL, v.o.

Randomized, double-blind,

placebo-controlled

Image presentation associated with sound presentation and SCR

↓ SCR 24 h after EL

♂ ♀

21–45

Healthy

Non-users

[70]

Dronabinol 7.5 mg, acute, 2 h prior to EL, v.o.

Randomized, double-blind,

placebo-controlled,

fMRI scanning, resting-state functional connectivity analysis, and SCR

↑ vmPFC and hippocampus activation during EMR;

↓ Amygdala activity during early extinction learning;

↔ SCR

♂ ♀

21–45

Healthy

Non-users

[71]

Dronabinol 7.5 mg, acute, 2 h prior to EL, v.o.

Randomized, double-blind,

placebo-controlled,

fMRI scanning and Resting-state functional connectivity analysis

↓ Recovery of fear after 24 h;

↓ Amygdala-hippocampus static functional connectivity;

↑ Amygdala-vmPFC dynamic functional connectivity

♂ ♀

21–45

Healthy

Non-users

[72]

Dronabinol 7.5 mg, acute, 2 h prior to EL, v.o.

Randomized, double-blind,

placebo-controlled,

fMRI scanning and SCR

↓ vmPFC and amygdala responses and ↑ functional coupling between the vmPFC, hippocampus and dACC 1 week later;

↓ SCR in first extinction trials;

↓ SCR in EMR 24 h later;

↔ 1 week after the EL

♂ ♀

21–45

Healthy

Non-users

[73]

Dronabinol 10 mg, acute, 2 h prior to EL, v.o.

Double-blind,

placebo-controlled,

FPS and SCR

↓ SCR during EL

↔ FPS

♂ ♀

18–30

Healthy

Non-users

[74]

  1. Legend: ↑ = increase; ↓ = reduction; ↔ no changes; ♂ = male; ♀ = female; v.o.: via oral; EL Extinction learning; EMR Extinction memory recall; FPS Fear-potentiated startle; vmPFC Ventromedial prefrontal cortex; dACC Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex; fMRI Functional magnetic resonance imaging; SCR Skin conductance response