Insomnia

Investigating cannabinol (the ‘sleepy’ cannabinoid) for treatment of insomnia disorder (recruitment open)

Emerging anecdotal and preclinical evidence suggests cannabinol (CBN), an oxidative by-product of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can improve sleep. However, CBN has never been examined in isolation as treatment for insomnia disorder.

The ‘CUPID’ study is a randomised, double-blinded, crossover study to investigate the effects of CBN on sleep architecture and next-day function in patients with insomnia disorder. We will recruit 20 participants with insomnia disorder who will undergo three overnight sleep studies, across which they will receive a low and high dose of CBN, as well as a placebo.

This study aims to provide novel clinical data around a potential cannabinoid therapeutic for a highly prevalent medical condition. The study may also stimulate the conduct of larger clinical trials of CBN as a therapeutic agent for insomnia.

This is a collaboration between Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research.

Chief Investigator: Professor Brendon Yee and Dr Camilla Hoyos (Woolcock Institute of Medical Research)

Project Coordinator: Isobel Lavender (University of Sydney).

For more information, please visit the CUPID website, or contact Isobel Lavender (isobel.lavender@sydney.edu.au)

Novel neuroimaging techniques investigating cannabinoids for insomnia (recruitment closed)

This is a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover pilot trial using novel brain imaging technology to comprehensively examine and localise differences in sleep and brain activation following a single dose of an oral cannabis extract in 20 patients with insomnia disorder.

Participants will receive all of the interventions (a single fixed dose of an oral cannabis extract or placebo) at random across two overnight sleep studies at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Glebe. Each overnight sleep study will be scheduled at least one-week apart. The objective of this trial is to examine the efficacy of an oral cannabis extract on sleep, cognition and next-day function including driving performance in adults with insomnia disorder, compared to placebo.

This is a collaboration between the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University of Sydney, and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research.

Principal Investigators: Professor Ron Grunstein and Dr Camilla Hoyos (Woolcock Institute of Medical Research)

Project Coordinator: Anastasia Suraev (University of Sydney)

Recruitment for this study has closed. 

Cannabinoid therapies in the management of sleep disorders: A systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies (completed)

Read the full clinical review 

A review of the preclinical and clinical studies available that have investigated cannabinoids on sleep behaviour and in sleep disorders.

Results indicated that there is insufficient evidence to support routine clinical use of cannabinoid therapies for the treatment of any sleep disorder given the lack of published research and the moderate-to-high risk of bias identified within the majority of preclinical and clinical studies completed to-date. Promising preliminary evidence provides the rationale for future randomised controlled trials of cannabinoid therapies in individuals with sleep apnea, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder-related nightmares, restless legs syndrome, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, and narcolepsy. There is a clear need for further investigations on the safety and efficacy of cannabinoid therapies for treating sleep disorders using larger, rigorously controlled, longer-term trials.

This work was a collaboration between the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University of Sydney, and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research.