Tourettes Syndrome Research

[Medical Marijuana]

YouTube - Tourettes Syndrome Research

A review of the scientific literature reveals several clinical trials investigating the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of TS. Writing in the March 1999 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, investigators at Germany's Medical School of Hanover, Department of Clinical Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, reported successful treatment of Tourette's syndrome with a single dose of 10 mg of delta-9-THC in a 25-year-old male patient in an uncontrolled open clinical trial.[1] Investigators reported that the subject's total tic severity score fell from 41 to 7 within two hours following cannabinoid therapy, and that improvement was observed for a total of seven hours. "For the first time, patients' subjective experiences when smoking marijuana were confirmed by using a valid and reliable rating scale," authors concluded.

Investigators again confirmed these preliminary results in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover single dose trial of THC in 12 adult TS patients. Researchers reported a "significant improvement of tics and obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCB) after treatment with delta-9-THC compared to placebo."[2] Investigators reported no cognitive impairment in subjects following THC administration[3] and concluded, "THC is effective and safe in treating tics and OCB in TS."[4]

Investigators confirmed these results in a second randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial involving 24 patients administered daily doses of up to 10 mg of THC over a six-week period. Researchers reported that subjects experienced a significant reduction in tics following long-term cannabinoid treatment,[5] and suffered no detrimental effects on learning, recall or verbal memory.[6] A trend toward significant improvement of verbal memory span during and after therapy was also observed.

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The Author:
For patients and their physicians, let this report serve as a primer for those who are considering using or recommending medicinal cannabis. For others, let this report serve as an introduction to the broad range of emerging clinical applications for cannabis and its various compounds.

Paul Armentano
Deputy Director
NORML | NORML Foundation
Washington, DC
January 24, 2008

* The author would like to acknowledge Drs. Dale Gieringer, Gregory Carter, Steven Karch, and Mitch Earleywine, as well as NORML interns John Lucy, Christopher Rasmussen, and Rita Bowles, for providing research assistance for this report. The NORML Foundation would also like to acknowledge Dale Gieringer, Paul Kuhn, and Richard Wolfe for their financial contributions toward the publication of this report.

** Important and timely publications such as this are only made possible when concerned citizens become involved with NORML. For more information on joining NORML or making a donation, please visit: NORML / Take Action / Join NORML(Secure). Tax deductible donations in support of NORML's public education campaigns should be made payable to the NORML Foundation.

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[FrankDaTank89]

nice post. I have a very good friend at college who has tourettes syndrome and says pot seems to calm him and helps him out so much.