# Differential female response to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2020 · $45,520

## Abstract

Project Summary
This application outlines a training plan for a doctoral student to gain knowledge and research experience in
human psychopharmacology (goal 1), psychophysiology (goal 2), reproductive neuroendocrinology (goal 3),
advance statistical methods (goal 4), and science communication and professional skills (goal 5). The
applicant wishes to become an independent researcher studying responses to psychoactive drugs. Through
the proposed training plan, the applicant will acquire skills through didactic training, seminars, and hands-on
research. She will become proficient in screening participants, selecting sensitive and reliable outcome
measures, developing appropriate designs (goals 1, 2, & 3), and performing state-of-the-art statistical
analyses. Professional goals will include acquiring familiarity with ethical issues, interpreting data (goal 4), and
writing and speaking effectively (goal 5). She will meet regularly with her sponsor, co-sponsor, and consultants
to advance her training in each of these domains. Her primary sponsor, Dr. Harriet de Wit, is an experienced
substance abuse researcher, and her co-sponsor, Dr. Greg Norman, has expertise in psychophysiology and
neuroendocrinology. In her project, the candidate will examine female-specific sources of variability in
responses to oral THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient of cannabis. Females are increasingly using
cannabis and are more susceptible to its adverse, stress-related, effects, such as tachycardia and anxiety. Yet,
they remain underrepresented in preclinical and clinical cannabinoid research. Further, menstrual cycle-related
variations in hormone levels, physiology, and basal mood may cause variation in acute drug response. This
study will test the dose-dependent physiological and subjective effects of oral ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
vs placebo in healthy female occasional cannabis users at two phases of the menstrual cycle. Women will
receive THC (7.5 or 15 mg) during either the early or late follicular phase of the cycle, in a double-blind and
counterbalanced design. Estradiol levels will be measured at each session, and subjects will complete self-
report subjective mood ratings during each session. The first aim is to compare subjective and physiological
effects of THC during the early and late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. The second aim is to determine
whether circulating estradiol levels, independent of menstrual cycle phase, predict physiological and subjective
response to acute THC. If there are differences in drug response between early and late follicular phase, a
mediation analysis will determine whether circulating estradiol levels mediate these differences. The final aim
is to determine other moderators of subjective response to THC. The rationale for the project is to better
understand the risks of cannabis use, to maximize medical potential and minimize public health risks. The
expected outcome of this work is to understand how circulatin...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9991499
- **Project number:** 1F31DA049391-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Elisa Pabon
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $45,520
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9991499

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9991499, Differential female response to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (1F31DA049391-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9991499. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*