Effect of Acute Exercise on Cognitive Functions and Blood Markers of Brain Plasticity in Regular Chronic Cannabis Users (CANNABEX)

May 14, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Lille
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex endogenous signaling system made up of transmembrane cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2 receptors), their endogenous lipid-derived ligands (the endocannabinoids - eCBs), and enzymes for ligand biosynthesis and degradation. Interestingly, exercise increase plasma AEA, one of the most famous endocannabinoid. This increase could be involved in exercise-induced neurogenesis and other beneficial exercise adaptations. Chronic cannabis use is associated with alteration of ECS activity. The aim of the study is to compare ECS response to exercise between chronic cannabis users and non-users.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Cannabis consumer group:

  • Cannabis consumption > 100 times in lifetime, last exposure < 7 days, and recent exposure > 10 times in the month.
  • Positive toxicological urine test for ∆-9-THC.
  • Having a cannabis use disorder according to the CAST.

Healthy group:

  • Negative urine toxicological test for cannabis.
  • No regular cannabis use for more than 6 months once in a lifetime.
  • No cannabis consumption in the 6 months preceding the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

For all subjects :

  • Disorders of use of other substances (alcohol, cocaine, opioid, or synthetic drugs).
  • Alcohol consumption greater than 30g per day (averaged over one week) and/or alcohol abuse the week preceding the visit.
  • Under medical treatment.
  • Presence of diagnosed neurological disorders.
  • Diagnosis of a psychotic picture entering axis I, DSM-5.
  • Chronic progressive disease or in remission.
  • Body mass index > 30 kg/m2 (i.e. presence of obesity).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Chronic cannabis users
Other: activity test
Over 2 weeks, participants have to do a maximal progressive exercise and a 30 min constant exercise at 50% of maximal aerobic power
Sham Comparator: Healthy subjects
Other: activity test
Over 2 weeks, participants have to do a maximal progressive exercise and a 30 min constant exercise at 50% of maximal aerobic power

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Plasma endocannabinoids levels (pmol/ml)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
regulating hormone of endocannabinoids (plasma levels of cortisol, ng/ml)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
2 weeks
Blood marker of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity (plasma levels and BDNF, pg/ml)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
2 weeks
change in cerebral muscular, oxygenation (HHB), (HbO2), (Hbtot) (arbitrary unit)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
2 weeks
Cognitive function (selective attention, stroop test)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
The stroop test can be used to measure a person's selective attention capacity
2 weeks
Oxygen consumption (VO2) (ml/min/kg)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University Hospital, Lille

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 7, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 6, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 6, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

October 13, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 14, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2016_70

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Cannabis User

Clinical Trials on activity test

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Denmark

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe