# Assessing the Impact of Cannabis Use on the Brain

> **NIH NIH K25** · MCLEAN HOSPITAL · 2020 · $141,857

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
This application requests 3 years of funding through the K25 Mentored Quantitative Research Scientist
Development Award mechanism. With a Ph.D. degree in physics, the candidate proposes to receive additional
training in neurocognitive and pharmacological aspects of chronic substance use to supplement his significant
training and research experience in neuroimaging. The candidate's short-term goals are to increase his
knowledge of the neuropsychological, clinical and diagnostic instruments used in clinical settings, to better
characterize the neurobiological risk factors for substance abuse and psychopathology and to better
understand the pharmacology and health effects of drug abuse and addiction. The support of this K25 award
will eventually provide the applicant protected time and resources to establish expertise in merging brain
imaging strategies with neuropsychological metrics used in various elements of studying drug addiction, which
will lead to an independent career in the field of substance abuse and addiction, thus improving individual and
public health. His training plan will consist of individual sessions with the proposed outstanding team of
mentors, completing course work, scheduled laboratory visits, attending national and international scientific
meetings and collecting imaging data using a novel, noninvasive neuroimaging protocol to quantify measures
of oxidative stress levels in the brain. More specifically, he proposes a novel modified proton magnetic
resonance spectroscopy sequence to reliably and accurately measure the concentration of glutathione (GSH),
considered the main antioxidant that is critically important for the maintenance of oxidative balance and the
viability and function of virtually all cells. The candidate will document, for the first time, if individuals with
cannabis use disorder exhibit a brain GSH deficit in the frontal lobe and whether there is an association
between GSH levels and the clinical presentation, advancing our understanding of the etiological processes of
substance use and providing a compelling justification for developing alternative novel therapeutic approaches
to reduce oxidative stress. Completing the proposed mentored training and research plans will allow the
candidate to establish expertise toward an independent career in the field of substance abuse and will facilitate
the application of new and novel imaging techniques to address changing public health needs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9948613
- **Project number:** 5K25DA045954-02
- **Recipient organization:** MCLEAN HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** ATILLA GONENC
- **Activity code:** K25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $141,857
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-15 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9948613

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9948613, Assessing the Impact of Cannabis Use on the Brain (5K25DA045954-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9948613. Licensed CC0.

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