Sensory gating in tobacco-naïve cannabis users is unaffected by acute nicotine administration.

Objectives: Long-term cannabis use has been associated with the appearance of psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia-like cognitive impairments; however these studies may be confounded by concomitant use of tobacco by cannabis users. We aimed to determine if previously observed cannabis-associated deficits in sensory gating would be seen in cannabis users with no history of tobacco use, as evidenced by changes in the P50, N100, and P200 event-related potentials. A secondary objective of this study was to examine the effects of acute nicotine administration on cannabis users with no tobacco use history.

Methods: Three components (P50, N100, P200) of the mid-latency auditory-evoked response (MLAER) were elicited by a paired-stimulus paradigm in 43 healthy, non-tobacco smoking male volunteers between the ages of 18-30. Cannabis users (CU, n = 20) were administered nicotine (6 mg) and placebo gum within a randomized, double-blind design. Non-cannabis users (NU, n = 23) did not receive nicotine.

Results: Between-group sensory gating effects were only observed for the N100, with CUs exhibiting a smaller N100 to S of the paired stimulus paradigm, in addition to reduced dN100 (indicating poorer gating). Results revealed no significant sensory gating differences with acute administration of nicotine compared to placebo cannabis conditions.

Conclusions: These findings suggest a relationship between gating impairment and cannabis use; however, acute nicotine administration nicotine does not appear to impact sensory gating function.