Abstract The discovery of endocannabinoid’s role within the central nervous system and its potential therapeutic benefits have brought forth rising interest in the use of cannabis for medical purposes. The present review aimed to synthesize and evaluate the available evidences on the efficacy of cannabis and its derivatives for psychiatric, neurodegenerative and movement disorders. A systematic search of randomized controlled trials of cannabis and its derivatives were conducted via databases (PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials). A total of 24 reports that evaluated the use of medical cannabis for Alzheimer’s disease, anorexia nervosa, anxiety, dementia, dystonia, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease,...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Rationale Certifications for medical cannabis are generally restricted to a small number of specific medical conditions, yet patients frequently report symptoms of pain, anxiety, and depression as reasons for use. This is a critical concern for researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers, yet research in this area is currently obstructed by the lack of a focused review or empirical synthesis on patient-reported reasons for medical cannabis use. Objectives AND METHOD: The first aim of this project was to conduct the first systematic review and meta-analysis of empirical studies of patient-reported symptoms of pain, anxiety, and depression as reasons for medical cannabis use. The...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract This review considers the potential influences of the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes (CTP) on areas of interest to mental health professionals, with foci on adult psychopathology and assessment. We identified 31 articles relating to the use of CTP and mental health, and 29 review articles on cannabis use and mental health that did not focus on use for therapeutic purposes. Results reflect the prominence of mental health conditions among the reasons for CTP use, and the relative dearth of high-quality evidence related to CTP in this context, thereby highlighting the need for further research into the harms and...

Abstract Parents of children with developmental, behavioural and mental health disorders are increasingly asking whether medicinal cannabis might be a therapeutic option for their child. This paper presents the current evidence for medicinal cannabis in this population. Preliminary evidence from open-label studies suggests the potential for medicinal cannabis to ameliorate some symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder. However, only one double-blind placebo-controlled trial has been completed, with inconclusive findings. Synthetic, transdermal cannabidiol gel has demonstrated efficacy for reducing social avoidance in a sub-group of children with Fragile X syndrome. Studies of medicinal cannabis are planned or underway for children and/or adolescents with autism,...

Abstract Introduction Medicinal cannabis might have a role in supporting the mental health of people with cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis, compared with any control, as an intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in people living with cancer. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of low versus high Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dose on these outcomes. Methods Five databases were systematically searched, and complemented with a snowball search from inception to May 2023, for any type of interventional study that included humans of any age with any cancer type. Primary outcomes were incidence and severity...

Abstract Use of Cannabis, the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, is associated with acute anxiety, and anxiety disorders following regular use. The precise neural and receptor basis of these effects have not been tested in man. Employing a combination of functional MRI (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), we investigated whether the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, on anxiety and on amygdala response while processing fearful stimuli were related to local availability of its main central molecular target, cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors in man. Fourteen healthy males were studied with fMRI twice, one month apart, following an oral dose...

Abstract Background: Benzodiazepines are a class of medication with sedative properties, commonly used for anxiety and other neurological conditions. These medications are associated with several well-known adverse effects. This observational study aims to investigate the reduction of benzodiazepine use in patients using prescribed medical cannabis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 146 medical cannabis patients (average age 47 years, 61% female, 54% reporting prior use of cannabis) who reported benzodiazepine use at initiation of cannabis therapy. These data are a part of a database gathered by a medical cannabis clinic (Canabo Medical). Descriptive statistics were used to quantify associations of the proportion...

Abstract The rise in cannabinoid legalization and decriminalization in the US has been paired with an increase in adolescents that perceive marijuana as a “no risk” drug. However, a comprehensive review of human literature indicates that cannabinoid usage may have both beneficial and detrimental effects, with adolescent exposure being a critical window for harming cognitive development. Although the cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are often used together for recreational and medical purposes, no study has previously observed the acute and long-lasting effects of THC+CBD in a battery of behavioral assays analogous to subjective human reports. The current study observed the acute and long-term...

Abstract Introduction Anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects of cannabinoids are mediated by different mechanisms, including neural signaling via cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) and nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs). This study examined the effects of prior nicotine (the psychoactive component in tobacco) exposure on behavioral sensitivity to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the psychoactive component of cannabis) challenge in animals. Methods Male and female adult Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 96) were injected daily with nicotine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 14 days, followed by a 14-day drug-free period. On test day, rats were injected with THC (0.5, 2.0, or 5.0 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle and anxiety-related behavior was assessed in the emergence (EM), elevated plus...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most represented phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa plants. However, CBD may present with a different activity compared with the psychotomimetic THC. Most typically, CBD is reported to be used in some medical conditions, including chronic pain. Conversely, the main aim of this systematic review is to assess and summarise the available body of evidence relating to both efficacy and safety of CBD as a treatment for psychiatric disorders, alone and/or in combination with other treatments. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the effect of CBD in a range...