Understanding how stress affects cannabis use motivation in people with cannabis use disorder
Official title: Experimental evaluation of the mechanisms driving acute stress potentiation of drug cue reactivity in Cannabis Use Disorder
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11080949 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how stress affects the desire to use cannabis in people who struggle with cannabis use disorder, and it aims to find out how stress changes brain activity when they see things related to cannabis, which could help develop better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $230,242 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA058780-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11080949 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with cannabis use disorder who experience significant stress in their daily lives.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have cannabis use disorder or those who do not experience acute stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between acute stress and increased motivation to use cannabis in individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD). By using advanced techniques like electroencephalography (EEG), the study aims to identify the biological mechanisms that link stress to cannabis cue reactivity. The goal is to better understand how stress influences cannabis use behaviors, which could lead to new treatment strategies for CUD. Participants may undergo stress-inducing tasks while their brain activity is monitored to assess changes in their responses to cannabis-related cues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of more effective treatments for cannabis use disorder by targeting stress-related mechanisms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that stress can significantly impact drug cue reactivity, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights into cannabis use disorder.
Where this research is happening
-
Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Macatee, Richard — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: Macatee, Richard
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.