Melbourne, Australia: Pediatric patients diagnosed with Rett syndrome (RTT) show improvements in alertness, communication skills, anxiety, and other symptoms following the daily use of specially formulated plant-derived cannabis extracts, according to open-label clinical trial data published in the Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health.
Australian investigators assessed the twice-daily use of cannabis extracts containing CBD and THC in a cohort of 11 girls with RTT. Subjects were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. Rett Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder associated with developmental delays, seizures, loss of speech and motor coordination, and involuntary/repetitive movements, among other symptoms.
“Oral administration of [cannabis extracts] for 12 weeks was associated with significant improvements in core RTT symptoms, including mental alertness, communication skills, socialization/eye contact, attentiveness, and anxiety,” researchers reported. “[Cannabis] administration also demonstrated improvements in key secondary outcomes, such as overall clinical severity, quality of life, and a reduction in caregiver burden.”
Investigators also reported improvements in patients’ breathing, mood, and teeth grinding.
The study’s authors concluded: “RTT is associated with a range of complex clinical manifestations. … This Phase I/II study of [plant-derived cannabis extracts] in RTT provides an encouraging foundation for further studies in this population. The improvements observed in clinical outcomes and caregiver burden justify ongoing research and confirm [that cannabis extracts are] a potential adjunct therapy for RTT.”
Full text of the study, “Full-spectrum medicinal cannabis plant extract 0.08% THC improves symptoms of Rett syndrome: An open-label study,” appears in theJournal of Pediatrics and Child Health.