Results from a small but “robust” clinical study in Australia indicate that medicinal cannabis can effectively treat the debilitating effects of Tourette syndrome.
Usually developing during childhood, Tourette syndrome is a condition without a known cure that is characterized by rapid, repetitive, involuntary muscle movements and/or vocalizations; also known as tics.
Although previous research has suggested successful treatment of Tourette syndrome with cannabinoids, a trial funded by the Wesley Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, and the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney has established that this is so.
The trial, originally announced in 2018, began in 2019; but just now the results have been published.
The study was a double-blind, crossover trial involving participants with severe Tourette’s syndrome who were randomly assigned to a 6-week treatment period with escalating doses of an orally consumed oil containing 5 mg/ml of THC and 5 mg/ml of CBD. This was followed by a 6-week course of placebo, or vice versa, separated by a 4-week washout period.
“This is the first rigorous and methodical trial of medical cannabis to be conducted in a large enough group of people to draw definitive conclusions about its efficacy,” said neuropsychiatrist Philip Mosley, who led the trial. “It shows that medicinal cannabis can reduce tics at a level that changes the lives of people with Tourette syndrome and their families.”
Dr. Mosley said other symptoms associated with Tourette syndrome were also reduced, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety symptoms.
One of the participants, Chris Wright, said the cannabis oil formulation reduced his tics by 50 percent. But there is a trade-off: Because the oil contains THC, patients cannot drive a vehicle or operate heavy machinery. But that might be a relatively small price to pay for experiencing symptom relief.
The most common side effects reported were cognitive difficulties, including slowed mind (mental activity), memory lapses, and poor concentration. Cognitive problems were experienced by 8 participants.
“Although there are well-known concerns about the side effects of THC on cognition and mental health, this trial demonstrates that careful dosing of THC in an oral formulation is very well tolerated in a relatively young patient group,” he said. say the professor co-author of the study. Iain McGregor.
Tourette syndrome affects about one in a hundred people, so having a relatively safe medication that is effective could make a big difference in outcomes for these patients.
The study has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine: Evidence.
