Cannabis Oil For Insomnia Found To Have No Impact On Next-Day Cognitive Function

A recent placebo-controlled study published in Psychofarmacology offers promising findings for individuals using medicinal cannabis oil to treat insomnia. Led by Anastasia Suraev and colleagues, the research reveals that taking a single dose of medicinal cannabis oil before bed does not impair cognitive function or driving ability the following day.

Study Design: Investigating Cognitive Effects

Medicinal cannabis oil typically contains cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), two prominent cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. While THC is known for its psychoactive effects, CBD is non-psychoactive and often used for its therapeutic benefits. The study focused on a combination of 10 mg THC and 200 mg CBD, widely used to manage insomnia. 

The study involved 20 adults with insomnia, most of whom had little prior experience with cannabis. Participants were given either medicinal cannabis oil or a placebo in a controlled lab setting. The following day, their cognitive performance was assessed through a series of 28 tasks, designed to assess various cognitive functions such as attention, memory and executive functioning, including a simulated driving test.

No Significant Impairment In Cognitive Function

Findings indicated no significant differences between those who received the cannabis oil and those who took the placebo across 27 out of the 28 cognitive tasks. There was a minor decrease in accuracy on one executive function test after taking cannabis oil, but this was not deemed clinically meaningful. Driving performance also remained unaffected.

The results suggest that medicinal cannabis oil, in this specific formulation, does not cause cognitive or psychomotor impairments the day after consumption. However, the authors caution that different formulations or higher doses may produce varying effects.

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