Investigating the Effects of Cannabidiol on Social Anxiety Disorder

Who can take part

• Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent
• Sufficiently fluent in English to participate in the trial
• Between 18-55 years of age (inclusive)
• Right-hand dominant
• Current medications are stable for past 30 days (no changes to dose or frequency)
• Negative result on pregnancy test (if female)
• Negative result on urine drug screening
• Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS ≥ 60)

Who cannot take part

• Use of concomitant medication that has a strong interaction with CBD
• History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, delusional disorders
• History of eating disorder within past 6 months
• History of any traumatic brain injury
• Currently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus
• Presence of severe medical illness that would prevent completion of study procedures
• Presence of significant neurological illness or cognitive dysfunction (e.g.; seizures, dementia)
• History of substance use disorder within past 6 months (other than nicotine and caffeine)
• History of claustrophobia
• Presence of any other medical condition that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with the study procedures
• History of liver disease
• History of hypersensitivity to cannabinoids
• History of hypersensitivity to sesame seed oil
• Use of any cannabis-containing products in past 30 days (CBD or THC)
• Use of benzodiazepines in past 2 weeks
• Use of alpha- or beta-blockers in past week
• Contraindications for MRI (e.g.; shrapnel)
• Currently breastfeeding (if female)