Cannabinoid Neuroprocessing and Retina: Disruptions, Dysfunctions, and Impairment
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 10:40 AM to 11:10 AM · 30 min. (America/New_York)
Room 107B
Organized Session
Cannabis & Psychedelic
Information
Purpose: Cannabinoids have been identified as disrupting dopaminergic neuroprocessing of the retina. The goal of this presentation is to relate the latest research and resulting hypothesis related to the marijuana induced disruptions of the retina and subsequent impairment of visual functions. The emphasis will be on those functions and visual responses that are essential to the task of driving.
Methods: The data were from the laboratory and field work of Impairment Measurement Marijuana and Driving (IMMAD) through NIJ funded research; 15PNIJ-22-GG-04417-RESS. The research was performed under an IRB approved protocol that allowed for opportunistic dosing of healthy volunteers under the age of forty. IMMAD’s opportunistic protocol had the volunteer come to the laboratory for initial undosed assessments. Volunteers informed staff when and where they would be consuming their own legal products and were then brought into the lab by shared ride. We measured retinal function using a virtual reality goggle system (for which IMMAD holds the marijuana utility patent) displaying seventeen small ten degree striped squares across the central forty degrees of visual field, one at a time and each eye separately. The stripes were of fixed temporal flip but variable contrast.
Results: IMMAD laboratory identified disruptions and dysfunctions in retinal processing that correlates in location to the dopaminergic dependent intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Data are being analyzed to determine how significant these disruptions and dysfunctions are in contributing to impairment to drive.
Conclusions: Undertaking research on a drug that is Schedule I presents problems. Further research is necessary with fully controlled dosing. An example is the contribution nicotine makes to retinal neuroprocessing. This is a variable when inhaled blunts (tobacco wrapped marijuana) are used. Better control is available if volunteers are provided with products.
Methods: The data were from the laboratory and field work of Impairment Measurement Marijuana and Driving (IMMAD) through NIJ funded research; 15PNIJ-22-GG-04417-RESS. The research was performed under an IRB approved protocol that allowed for opportunistic dosing of healthy volunteers under the age of forty. IMMAD’s opportunistic protocol had the volunteer come to the laboratory for initial undosed assessments. Volunteers informed staff when and where they would be consuming their own legal products and were then brought into the lab by shared ride. We measured retinal function using a virtual reality goggle system (for which IMMAD holds the marijuana utility patent) displaying seventeen small ten degree striped squares across the central forty degrees of visual field, one at a time and each eye separately. The stripes were of fixed temporal flip but variable contrast.
Results: IMMAD laboratory identified disruptions and dysfunctions in retinal processing that correlates in location to the dopaminergic dependent intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Data are being analyzed to determine how significant these disruptions and dysfunctions are in contributing to impairment to drive.
Conclusions: Undertaking research on a drug that is Schedule I presents problems. Further research is necessary with fully controlled dosing. An example is the contribution nicotine makes to retinal neuroprocessing. This is a variable when inhaled blunts (tobacco wrapped marijuana) are used. Better control is available if volunteers are provided with products.
Session or Presentation
Presentation
Session Number
SY-27-03
Application
Cannabis
Methodology
Physical Measurements
Primary Focus
Application
Morning or Afternoon
Morning
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