Neuroimaging of Instrumental Learning Networks in Adolescent Cannabis Use Treatment
Indiana University
Summary
This study is testing whether brain activity related to learning can help predict how well teens respond to a treatment program designed to reduce cannabis use. Teens ages 14-17 will complete a brain scan and then take part in 10 weekly virtual sessions where they report cannabis use and complete drug tests at home. Participants can earn prizes for staying cannabis-free.
Description
This is a 13-week clinical trial to examine whether success during contingency management treatment for cannabis use is associated with baseline functioning of instrumental learning neuro-circuitries. The investigators propose to recruit N=80 youths ages 14-17 with varying levels of cannabis use. Following phone prescreening, participants will undergo informed consent/assent and eligibility assessment with an in-person visit. Participants who are eligible will undergo a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan where participants will perform an instrumental learning task during a seco…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 14–17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * 14-17 year old youth * Guardian 18 years or older * Youth is MRI-eligible: No metal implants, prosthetics, orthodontic devices, transdermal medication patches, piercings and/or hair or eyelash extensions that cannot easily be removed, metallic ink tattoos on the neck or face, or claustrophobia, and are not pregnant * Youth must endorse having used cannabis at least once per week over the past month OR youth must have been diagnosed with cannabis use disorder within the past three months Exclusion Criteria: * Youth has a history of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, intel…
Interventions
- BehavioralContingency Management
Contingency management is an evidence-based behavioral intervention used to treat substance use disorders, including cannabis use disorder (CUD). Contingency management operates on the principles of instrumental learning, where positive reinforcement is used to encourage desired behaviors, such as abstinence from cannabis. First, specific target behaviors are identified for reinforcement. In CUD, this is often abstinence from cannabis use, verified through regular urine drug screens and self-reports. If the target behavior (i.e., abstaining from cannabis for a specified time period) is achieved, then patients receive tangible rewards immediately after attaining the target behavior. These rewards are often in the form of money, vouchers, or other incentives that are meaningful to the individual. We will examine whether success during contingency management treatment for cannabis use is associated with neural activity during instrumental learning in N=80 adolescents ages 14-17.
- DeviceElastic Net Regression
We will apply an elastic net regression model to the neuroimaging data to estimate CUDIT score based on neuroimaging data.
Location
- Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, Indiana