Neuroimaging of Adolescent Cannabis Use Treatment

NCT07340554 | Recruiting DMC FDA Device

• 2 other identifiers: 27183K23DA063832
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief 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.

Conditions

Cannabis Withdrawal; Cannabis-Related Disorder; Cannabis Abuse, in Remission; Cannabis Abuse, Episodic Use; Marijuana; Marijuana Abuse; Marijuana Use; Marijuana Smoking; Marijuana Dependence; Marijuana User; Marijuana-Related Disorder; Marijuana Use Disorder; Addiction; Addiction, Substance; Substance Use; Substance Use Disorders; Substance Dependence; Substance Abuse; Substance Related Problem; Substance Abuse Drug Chronic; Cannabis Dependence; Cannabis Use Disorder; Cannabis Abuse; Cannabis Intoxication; Cannabis Smoking; Cannabis Use

Keywords

Cannabis; Marijuana; Addiction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Cannabis use frequency

  The investigators will measure cannabis use frequency via percent of days where cannabis was used over the past 30 days via the Timeline Followback Scale (Sobell and Sobell, 1992)

  Screening and Post-Intervention Follow-Up Visit (2-4 weeks after last CM visit)

• Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) Score

  The CUDIT (Adamson et al., 2010) is a measure of cannabis use disorder symptom level. This scale is an 8-item scale that asks about cannabis use disorder symptoms over the past year and is scored on a scale of 0 (no cannabis use in the past year) to 32 (daily cannabis use, physical and psychological dependence symptoms, severe cannabis misuse). The CUDIT will be measured once at the baseline screening visit.

  Baseline

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Total quantity of cannabis use

  Screening and Post-Intervention Follow-Up Visit (2-4 weeks after last CM visit)

• Cannabis withdrawal

  Screening and Post-Intervention Follow-Up Visit (2-4 weeks after last CM visit)

• Cannabis expectancy

  Screening and Post-Intervention Follow-Up Visit (2-4 weeks after last CM visit)

• Proportion of negative cannabis urine drug screen

  Screening, Baseline, once weekly at each CM visit, and Post-Intervention Follow-Up Visit (2-4 weeks after last CM visit)

Study Arms (1)

Contingency Management and Elastic Net Regression

OTHER

All participants will receive Contingency Management treatment for Cannabis Use. An elastic net regression model will be applied to the neuroimaging data for all participants to estimate scores on the CUDIT.

Behavioral: Contingency Management; Device: Elastic Net Regression

Interventions

Elastic Net Regression DEVICE

We will apply an elastic net regression model to the neuroimaging data to estimate CUDIT score based on neuroimaging data.

Contingency Management and Elastic Net Regression

Contingency Management BEHAVIORAL

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.

Contingency Management and Elastic Net Regression

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• 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

You may not qualify if:

• Youth has a history of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, intellectual disorders, pervasive development disorder or autism spectrum disorder, psychotic disorders, history of neurological problems (epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, cerebrovascular disease) by parent/guardian report
• Youth or caretaker who is monolingual non-English speaker
• Youth who is currently experiencing active psychosis symptoms or suicidal/homicidal ideation or who has been hospitalized within the past 6 months for psychosis or suicidality/homicidality
• Youth who is currently undergoing contingency management treatment for cannabis use disorder

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Indiana University: lead
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Indiana University School of Medicine

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Marijuana Abuse; Marijuana Smoking; Marijuana Use; Behavior, Addictive; Substance-Related Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders; Behavior; Smoking, Non-Tobacco Products; Smoking; Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Joseph Aloi, MD, PhD

CONTACT

317-278-5433; liferaft@iu.edu

Katherine LeFevre, BS

CONTACT

317-278-5433; liferaft@iu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 9, 2026
• First Posted: January 14, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2030
• Last Updated: June 11, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Locations

US (1)