Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol in Tourette Syndrome

• DOI: 10.1056/evidoa2300012
• Publication Date: 2023-06-07T13:00:38Z
• Authors: Philip E. Mosley; Lachlan Webb; Anastasia Suraev; Leah Hingston; Tracy Turnbull; Kelley Foster; Emma Ballard; Lauren Gomes; Adith Mohan; Perminder S. Sachdev; Richard Kevin; Rebecca Gordon; Melissa Benson; Iain S. McGregor
• Keywords: Crossover study; Tetrahydrocannabinol

BACKGROUND: Tourette syndrome is characterized by chronic motor and vocal tics. There preliminary evidence of benefit from cannabis products containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that coadministration cannabidiol (CBD) improves the side-effect profile safety. METHODS: In this double-blind, crossover trial, participants with severe were randomly assigned to a 6-week treatment period escalating doses an oral oil 5 mg/ml THC CBD, followed course placebo, or vice versa, separated 4-week washout period. The primary outcome was total tic score on Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS; range, 0 50 [higher scores indicate greater severity symptoms]). Secondary outcomes included video-based assessment tics, global impairment, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Outcomes correlated plasma levels cannabinoid metabolites. A computerized cognitive battery administered at beginning end each RESULTS: Overall, 22 (eight female participants) enrolled. Reduction in (at week 6 relative baseline) as measured YGTSS 8.9 (±7.6) active group 2.5 (±8.5) placebo group. linear mixed-effects model, there significant interaction (active/placebo) visit number (coefficient = −2.28; 95% confidence interval, −3.96 −0.60; P=0.008), indicating decrease (improvement) tics under treatment. correlation between 11-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol outcome, which attenuated after exclusion outlier. most common adverse effect headache (n=7); period, it difficulties, including slowed mentation, memory lapses, poor concentration (n=8). CONCLUSIONS: syndrome, CBD reduced may reduce impairment due disorder; although some associated concentration. (Funded Wesley Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, philanthropically-funded research organization University Sydney, Australia; Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12618000545268.)