Parkinson's patients reported significant improvements in falls, pain, depression, tremor, and sleep with medical cannabis
In a survey of 47 Parkinson's patients using medical cannabis for an average of 19 months, the largest reported improvements were in falls, pain, depression, tremor, stiffness, and sleep, though side effects included confusion and hallucinations.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Forty-seven Parkinson's patients (40 men, median Hoehn & Yahr stage III) who had used medical cannabis for at least 3 months reported their symptom changes via structured telephone interviews.
The largest effect sizes for improvement were: falls (r=0.89), pain relief (r=0.73), depression (r=0.64), tremor (r=0.64), muscle stiffness (r=0.62), and sleep (r=0.60). These are considered large effects by standard benchmarks.
However, adverse effects were notable: 34.9% of smokers reported cough, and 17% each reported confusion and hallucinations. Five patients (10.6%) stopped treatment due to adverse effects. Most patients (80.9%) used cannabis by smoking, at a mean daily dose of 0.9g.
Key Numbers
Effect sizes: falls r=0.89, pain r=0.73, depression r=0.64, tremor r=0.64, stiffness r=0.62, sleep r=0.60. Adverse effects: cough 34.9%, confusion 17%, hallucinations 17%. Treatment stopped: 10.6%. Mean daily dose: 0.9g. Mean treatment duration: 19.1 months.
How They Did This
Retrospective survey using structured telephone interviews with standardized subjective global impression of change measures. Conducted across two centers. Patients had to have been using medical cannabis for at least 3 months and be non-demented. This was not a controlled trial; there was no placebo group.
Why This Research Matters
Parkinson's disease involves multiple disabling symptoms beyond the hallmark tremor, including pain, depression, sleep disturbance, and falls. The large effect sizes reported across multiple symptom domains suggest that medical cannabis may address the broader symptom burden of PD, though the uncontrolled design and potential for placebo effects limit the conclusions.
The Bigger Picture
The high rate of confusion and hallucinations (17% each) is particularly concerning in Parkinson's disease, where these symptoms can also result from the disease itself and its standard medications. Any cannabis-based treatment for PD would need to navigate this challenge carefully, potentially using lower doses or non-psychoactive cannabinoids.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Uncontrolled retrospective survey with no placebo comparison. Self-reported improvements may reflect placebo effects, regression to the mean, or recall bias. The sample was predominantly male (85%). Most patients smoked cannabis, which has its own health risks. The cough rate highlights the unsuitability of smoking as a delivery method for patients with neurological disease.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would the benefits persist in a placebo-controlled trial?
- ?Could non-smoked delivery methods reduce adverse effects while maintaining benefits?
- ?Are the confusion and hallucinations from cannabis distinguishable from Parkinson's-related symptoms?
- ?Would CBD-dominant formulations offer benefits with fewer psychiatric side effects?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Falls improvement r=0.89, but 17% reported confusion and 17% hallucinations
- Evidence Grade:
- Uncontrolled retrospective survey. Reports patient experience but cannot distinguish treatment effects from placebo or natural symptom fluctuation.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2017. Interest in cannabis for Parkinson's has grown, with several controlled trials now underway or completed.
- Original Title:
- Medical Cannabis in Parkinson Disease: Real-Life Patients' Experience.
- Published In:
- Clinical neuropharmacology, 40(6), 268-272 (2017)
- Authors:
- Balash, Yacov, Bar-Lev Schleider, Lihi(7), Korczyn, Amos D(2), Shabtai, Herzel, Knaani, Judith, Rosenberg, Alina, Baruch, Yehuda, Djaldetti, Ruth, Giladi, Nir, Gurevich, Tanya
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01331
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis treat Parkinson's disease?
This survey found that patients reported improvements in multiple Parkinson's symptoms, but without a control group, it cannot determine whether cannabis caused the improvements. Controlled trials are needed to establish whether these self-reported benefits are real and reproducible.
Why did some patients experience confusion and hallucinations?
Both confusion and hallucinations can be caused by THC and are also common symptoms of Parkinson's disease itself, especially at advanced stages. The combination of cannabis with Parkinson's medications that also affect dopamine may increase this risk.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01331APA
Balash, Yacov; Bar-Lev Schleider, Lihi; Korczyn, Amos D; Shabtai, Herzel; Knaani, Judith; Rosenberg, Alina; Baruch, Yehuda; Djaldetti, Ruth; Giladi, Nir; Gurevich, Tanya. (2017). Medical Cannabis in Parkinson Disease: Real-Life Patients' Experience.. Clinical neuropharmacology, 40(6), 268-272. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNF.0000000000000246
MLA
Balash, Yacov, et al. "Medical Cannabis in Parkinson Disease: Real-Life Patients' Experience.." Clinical neuropharmacology, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNF.0000000000000246
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Medical Cannabis in Parkinson Disease: Real-Life Patients' E..." RTHC-01331. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/balash-2017-medical-cannabis-in-parkinson
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.