A THC-based combination treatment reduced tic severity by over 20% in adults with Tourette's syndrome
In a 12-week pilot trial, a combination of THC and palmitoylethanolamide reduced tic symptoms by more than 20% in 16 adults with treatment-resistant Tourette's syndrome, with improvement starting within one week.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
THX-110 (combination of THC max 10 mg/day and PEA 800 mg/day) produced statistically significant tic improvement within one week. Average improvement exceeded 20%, representing a 7-point decrease on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. Twelve of 16 participants chose to continue into the extension phase.
Key Numbers
16 adults; max THC dose 10 mg/day; PEA dose 800 mg/day; >20% improvement; 7-point YGTSS decrease; improvement significant within 1 week; 12 of 16 continued to extension; 2 dropouts
How They Did This
12-week uncontrolled trial of THX-110 in 16 adults with Tourette's syndrome, with primary outcome measured by Yale Global Tic Severity Scale total tic score. A 24-week extension phase was offered.
Why This Research Matters
Few effective pharmacological treatments exist for Tourette's syndrome, and many patients continue to have impairing tics despite available treatments. A cannabinoid-based option could fill an important treatment gap.
The Bigger Picture
This adds to a small but growing body of evidence suggesting cannabinoids may help manage tics, potentially through the endocannabinoid system's role in motor control circuits.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
No control group or blinding, very small sample, side effects were common (managed by dose adjustment), psychoactive properties of THC make blinding future trials challenging.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would THX-110 show similar efficacy in a placebo-controlled trial?
- ?Is the PEA component contributing to the effect or is THC alone responsible?
- ?What are the long-term effects of daily THC use for tic management?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Tic symptoms improved by more than 20% within one week of starting treatment
- Evidence Grade:
- Small uncontrolled pilot trial without blinding or placebo group
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021. Randomized controlled trials of cannabinoid treatments for Tourette's are needed.
- Original Title:
- A Phase-2 Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Combination of Δ9-Tetrahydracannabinol and Palmitoylethanolamide for Adults With Tourette's Syndrome.
- Published In:
- The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 33(4), 328-336 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03009
Evidence Hierarchy
A small preliminary study to test whether a larger study is feasible.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can THC help with Tourette's syndrome?
In this small pilot trial, a combination of THC and palmitoylethanolamide reduced tic severity by over 20% in 16 adults with treatment-resistant Tourette's. However, a controlled trial is needed to confirm efficacy.
How quickly did the treatment work?
Improvement was statistically significant within one week of starting treatment, and 12 of 16 participants chose to continue into a longer extension phase.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03009APA
Bloch, Michael H; Landeros-Weisenberger, Angeli; Johnson, Jessica A; Leckman, James F. (2021). A Phase-2 Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Combination of Δ9-Tetrahydracannabinol and Palmitoylethanolamide for Adults With Tourette's Syndrome.. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 33(4), 328-336. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19080178
MLA
Bloch, Michael H, et al. "A Phase-2 Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Combination of Δ9-Tetrahydracannabinol and Palmitoylethanolamide for Adults With Tourette's Syndrome.." The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19080178
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A Phase-2 Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Combination of Δ9-Tet..." RTHC-03009. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bloch-2021-a-phase2-pilot-study
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.