During the past year my research efforts continued in brain blood flow and metabolism. Areas of focus have been on the effects of marijuana and other substances of abuse on cerebral blood flow and metabolism and brain morphology. Several new grants to continue this research have been submitted. An ongoing project involves the effects of marijuana on cerebral blood flow measured with Positron Emission Tomography. This project will look at
neurocognative effects of marijuana. In this project subjects who have used marijuana in the past are studied while THC (marijuana) is infused. A third project has been funded on the effects of marijuana on postural syncope. The plans for the coming year include the continuation of these two with new grant submissions, and further expansion of this research using PET and other imaging technology. This includes an new grant submission to examine the
effects of merijuana on learning and memory. In addition to these basic research efforts I continue my interest in clinical psychopharmacology. In that effort I have been the PI on one clinical trial this past year on outpatient schizophrenia.
Finally, because of my research and statistical background, I continue to collaborate with a number of investigators in the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology.
