The latest case study comes out of the Department of Psychiatry at Tauranga Hospital in New Zealand.
Doctors gave the patient two controlled doses a day of Sativex (an oromucosal spray that delivers 10.8 mg of THC and 10 mg of CBD) for four weeks. The patient took a test to measure his perceived severity of the tics. They also videotaped the patient and had objective observers, that were unaware of whether the patient was under treatment of Sativex or not, measure the severity of the tics.
Both the patient and the objective observers noted a ‘marked improvement in the frequency and severity of motor and vocal tics post-treatment.’
Researchers have not yet discovered a cure. The condition seems to run in families, and boys are much more commonly affected than girls. Smoking and drug consumption during pregnancy have been known to worsen the effects. The condition typically gets better over time, and children with Tourette syndrome are more severely affected.
Scientists do not have a lead on the cause although it’s known stress can exacerbate or even bring out the syndrome. However, the fact some patients notice an improvement in their symptoms after consuming cannabis could represent an important lead for scientists to investigate a cause. Cannabinoids ‘modulate neuronal excitability’ and act as retrograde signal inhibitors.
Other anecdotal evidence exists to demonstrate that cannabis helps those suffering from Tourette syndrome. While Sativex is an expensive drug that consists of a controlled extract of cannabis from specially designed strains of cannabis, the active ingredients are very simple: roughly equal quantities of THC and CBD. Those suffering from this condition may see this new research as hope that a cure, or at least an alternative treatment, exists.”
(Text above From High Times)
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See full article – Severe motor and vocal tics controlled with Sativex®. – PubMed – NCBI