Medical cannabis improved quality of life and comorbidities in Tourette's syndrome patients
Among 70 Tourette's patients using medical cannabis, those who responded to follow-up reported significant improvements in quality of life and comorbid conditions, though motor tic frequency and vocal tics did not significantly change.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After 6 months of medical cannabis treatment (mean THC 123 mg/day, CBD 50.5 mg/day), significant improvements were found in quality of life (p<0.05) and sleep disorders (p=0.027). Motor tic frequency (p=0.062), vocal tics (p>0.999), and general mood (p=0.129) did not reach significance. Number of medications decreased significantly.
Key Numbers
70 patients identified. Mean daily dose: THC 123 mg, CBD 50.5 mg. Significant improvement in QoL and sleep. Non-significant trends for motor tics (p=0.062). Most frequent side effects: dizziness (n=4), increased appetite (n=3).
How They Did This
Registry-based study of 70 Tourette's patients from Tikun Olam (Israel). Questionnaires completed before and after 6 months of treatment. Patients divided into responders and non-responders to follow-up.
Why This Research Matters
Tourette's syndrome has limited treatment options, and clinical guidelines already include medical cannabis. This real-world data provides practical information about dosing and outcomes, even though tic reduction did not reach significance.
The Bigger Picture
The improvement in quality of life and comorbidities (especially sleep) without significant tic reduction suggests medical cannabis may help Tourette's patients through mechanisms beyond tic suppression, such as reducing the distress and sleep disruption associated with the condition.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Registry-based with no control group or placebo comparison. High attrition (many did not respond to follow-up). Small sample. Cannot separate cannabis effects from natural symptom fluctuation or placebo effect.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would a placebo-controlled trial confirm these quality-of-life benefits?
- ?Is the THC:CBD ratio optimal, or could different ratios produce better tic control?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- QoL improved; tic reduction borderline (p=0.062)
- Evidence Grade:
- Real-world registry data without control group provides practical insights but cannot establish efficacy or rule out placebo effects.
- Study Age:
- 2024 publication of Israeli registry data on medical cannabis for Tourette's
- Original Title:
- Use of Medical Cannabis in Patients with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome in a Real-World Setting.
- Published In:
- Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 9(1), 293-299 (2024)
- Authors:
- Barchel, Dana(3), Stolar, Orit(6), Ziv-Baran, Tomer, Gueta, Itai, Berkovitch, Matitiahu, Kohn, Elkana, Bar-Lev Schleider, Lihi
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05116
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Did cannabis reduce tics in Tourette's?
Motor tic frequency showed a trend toward improvement (p=0.062) but did not reach statistical significance. Vocal tics showed no change. However, quality of life and sleep improved significantly.
What doses were used?
Mean daily doses were 123 mg THC and 50.5 mg CBD. The most common side effects were mild: dizziness (4 patients) and increased appetite (3 patients).
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05116APA
Barchel, Dana; Stolar, Orit; Ziv-Baran, Tomer; Gueta, Itai; Berkovitch, Matitiahu; Kohn, Elkana; Bar-Lev Schleider, Lihi. (2024). Use of Medical Cannabis in Patients with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome in a Real-World Setting.. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 9(1), 293-299. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0112
MLA
Barchel, Dana, et al. "Use of Medical Cannabis in Patients with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome in a Real-World Setting.." Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0112
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Use of Medical Cannabis in Patients with Gilles de la Touret..." RTHC-05116. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/barchel-2024-use-of-medical-cannabis
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.