Medicinal cannabis in neurodegenerative disorders: an open label, dose finding, safety and efficacy study

Neurodegener Dis Manag. 2024;14(2):35-46. doi: 10.2217/nmt-2023-0011. Epub 2024 Apr 19.

Abstract

Aim: Currently, there exist no curative treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the use of medicinal cannabis to improve neurological conditions. Methods: A 12-month, open label, dose-finding, safety and efficacy study was conducted including 48 subjects with a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Results: In our participants, we observed a reduction in pain, improved sleep, enhanced well-being and less agitation. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that medicinal cannabis might be useful in patients with neurodegenerative disorders in controlling pain, enhancing sleep, reducing difficult behaviors, controlling unusual and complex symptoms when other treatments have failed - this offers medicinal cannabis a role in palliation.

Keywords: medicinal cannabis; neurodegenerative disorders; open label; pain; sleep.

Plain language summary

[Box: see text].

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medical Marijuana* / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Medical Marijuana