R01AG066698

Cannabis Use Among Older Adults: Potential Risks and Benefits to an Aging Population - Project Summary

The population of older adults in the U.S. is increasing dramatically, doubling from 48 million to 88 million by the year 2050. As more Americans live longer, the challenge is to assure that quality of life is being maintained along with quantity of life. Research is beginning to focus on understanding the changing physiology underlying normal human aging, as well as expand on behavioral and pharmacological strategies that may assist older adults to maximize their later years, and recent surveys suggest that some may believe that legalized cannabis products have a role to play.

Simultaneously, the increasing legalization and acceptance of cannabis is occurring at a rapid pace. Older adults are the fastest growing group of cannabis users in the U.S., with prevalence up by 250% for in some age groups, who perceive virtually no risk of using cannabis monthly (85.3%) or even weekly (79%). National surveys also showed that older adults were more likely to use cannabis for medicinal purposes than for recreational purposes, and common reasons for use include pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

There are obvious and critical questions that this situation poses. First, do older adults experience relief from their symptoms and does this depend on the constituent cannabinoids of the product they are using? Second, are there impacts on neurocognition and motor control that might be harmful, or even potentially beneficial, and do these, too, depend on the cannabinoid profile of the products being used? Third, how can we assist older adults in decision-making regarding cannabis?

The overarching goal of this grant application is to leverage our innovative mobile pharmacology laboratory approach and existing aging research infrastructure to better understand the effects of legal market cannabis in adults aged 60 and over. To that end, the proposed research will utilize a prospective, patient-centered observational design to recruit and assess older adults who are interested in using cannabis for pain, trouble sleeping, or negative affect and a comparison group who are not interested in cannabis use. Users will choose and use one of three types of edible cannabis products (i.e., a CBD dominant product, a THC+CBD product, or a THC dominant product) for a total of three months.

The proposed research has three aims. First, we will explore the effects of edible cannabis of varying composition among older adults who desire to use cannabis to treat their pain, trouble sleeping, or negative affect (depression/anxiety) as compared to a non-sing comparison group assessed by changes in the Patient Global Impression of Change scale. Second, we will explore the effects of edible cannabis use of varying composition on neurocognition and motor control both acutely and over time among older adults. Finally, we will examine the process by which older adult cannabis users decide what type of cannabis product they prefer.

Pursuit of these aims has tremendous implications for understanding the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use among older adults and will inform clinical practice and public health efforts in this rapidly growing population.

The Regents Of The University Of Colorado

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

Colorado United States

State-Wide

Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-19-056)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 364% from $658,226 to $3,055,285.