TY - JOUR
T1 - Regular cannabis use is associated with blunted affective, but not cardiovascular, stress responses
AU - DeAngelis, Briana
AU - al'Absi, Mustafa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2020/8
Y1 - 2020/8
N2 - Aims: To examine the potential impact of regular cannabis use on cardiovascular and subjective responses to acute stress. Design: We used a quasi-experimental design in which subjective states and cardiovascular measures were obtained during rest and in response to acute stress challenges in a sample of regular cannabis users and non-users. Participants: Seventy-nine adults (forty-five cannabis users and thirty-four non-users). Measurements: We measured subjective states (positive affect, state stress, state anxiety, cannabis craving) and cardiovascular indicators (blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure) during baseline rest and in response to public speaking, mental arithmetic, and cold-pressor challenges. Regular cannabis use was established via self-report and was confirmed with a positive urine drug test. Findings: Regular cannabis use was associated with blunted positive affect (F = 5.67, p = .002), state stress (F = 6.05, p = .002), and state anxiety (F = 6.48, p < .001) in response to acute stress challenges. There was no evidence of an association between cannabis use and cardiovascular responses (Fs ≤ 1.54; Ps ≥ 0.21). Contrary to expectations, cannabis craving decreased in response to stress challenges (F = 8.44, p < .001). Conclusion: Chronic cannabis use is associated with blunted positive and negative (stress, anxiety) affective responses to acute stress, indicating emotional dysregulation in this population.
AB - Aims: To examine the potential impact of regular cannabis use on cardiovascular and subjective responses to acute stress. Design: We used a quasi-experimental design in which subjective states and cardiovascular measures were obtained during rest and in response to acute stress challenges in a sample of regular cannabis users and non-users. Participants: Seventy-nine adults (forty-five cannabis users and thirty-four non-users). Measurements: We measured subjective states (positive affect, state stress, state anxiety, cannabis craving) and cardiovascular indicators (blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure) during baseline rest and in response to public speaking, mental arithmetic, and cold-pressor challenges. Regular cannabis use was established via self-report and was confirmed with a positive urine drug test. Findings: Regular cannabis use was associated with blunted positive affect (F = 5.67, p = .002), state stress (F = 6.05, p = .002), and state anxiety (F = 6.48, p < .001) in response to acute stress challenges. There was no evidence of an association between cannabis use and cardiovascular responses (Fs ≤ 1.54; Ps ≥ 0.21). Contrary to expectations, cannabis craving decreased in response to stress challenges (F = 8.44, p < .001). Conclusion: Chronic cannabis use is associated with blunted positive and negative (stress, anxiety) affective responses to acute stress, indicating emotional dysregulation in this population.
KW - Cannabis
KW - Cardiovascular response
KW - Craving
KW - Psychosocial stress
KW - Stress reactivity
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U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106411
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106411
M3 - Article
C2 - 32298953
AN - SCOPUS:85083060759
SN - 0306-4603
VL - 107
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
M1 - 106411
ER -