Could Cannabis Improve Quality Of Life In Adults With Autism? This New Study Might Surprise You

A new UK study showed that medical cannabis could improve the quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms in autistic patients.

First discovered in 1911 by German psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, autism is a developmental disorder that involves challenges with communication, repetitive behaviors and restricted interests.

What's In The Study?

The study, published in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology showed that "cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) have been identified as a promising novel therapeutic for symptoms and comorbidities related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)."

Though researchers cautioned that "there is a paucity of clinical evidence of their efficacy and safety."

Study Aim: Assessing changes, through a series of cases, to "health-related quality of life and the incidence of adverse events in patients treated with CBMPs for associated symptoms of ASD enrolled on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry (UKMCR)."

Co-author James Rucker, a consultant psychiatrist at Sapphire Medical Clinics explained: 

“Adults with [autism spectrum disorder (ASD)] face an array of challenging symptoms associated with the condition, which can have a devastating impact on their quality of life. The goal of treatment here is not to modify the core traits of autism. These can be valuable and invariably form a core part of a person’s identity.” 

Method

The study notes that “patients treated with CBMPs for ASD-related symptoms for a minimum of 1 month were identified from the UKMCR.”

“Primary outcomes were changes in validated patient-reported outcome measures,” such as Anxiety Disorder, Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale, level version of the EQ-5D “at 1, 3, and 6 months compared with baseline. Adverse events were recorded and analyzed.

Researchers investigated the impact of medicinal cannabis on 74 autistic participants with an average age of 33.

According to the investigation, "there were significant improvements in general health-related quality of life and sleep." However, "there were 180 adverse events reported by 14 participants. If present, adverse events were commonly mild or moderate, rather than severe," researchers said.

Conclusion & Findings

The study demonstrated “an associated improvement in general health-related quality of life and anxiety- and sleep-specific symptoms following initiation of treatment with CBMPs in patients with ASD.”

In addition, researchers found that due to treatment with cannabis, there was a 33 percent and 25 percent reduction in the prescription of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, respectively.

“Based in part on the results of this study, we have applied for grant funding for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of CBMPs in those with ASD who also suffer from anxiety and insomnia," Dr. Rucker concluded. "If funded, this trial may be a significant advance in the quest to develop new interventions for this group of people.”

Dr. Simon Erridge, head of research and access at Sapphire Medical Clinics and lead author of the study remarked on the findings.

“These findings, whilst promising, do highlight the fact that further evaluation is required to improve our understanding of the potential benefits of medical cannabis for adults with ASD. Essential to this is a commitment to RCTs to inform guidelines and day-to-day care for those with ASD."
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