CBD-enriched cannabis oil improved spasticity, pain, and sleep in children with complex motor disorders
A pilot study of 25 children (ages 1-17) with complex motor disorders found that 5 months of CBD-enriched cannabis oil significantly improved spasticity, dystonia, sleep difficulties, pain severity, and quality of life, with rare adverse effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Twenty-five children aged 1-17 with complex motor disorders (combinations of spasticity, dystonia, and other movement abnormalities) were enrolled in a pilot study testing CBD-enriched cannabis oil.
Two formulations were compared: a 20:1 CBD:THC ratio (0.25% THC) and a 6:1 ratio (0.83% THC). Both were 5% CBD oil.
After 5 months of treatment, significant improvement was observed in the total cohort for spasticity, dystonia, sleep difficulties, pain severity, and quality of life, regardless of which formulation patients received.
Adverse effects were rare: 2 patients had worsening seizures, 2 had behavioral changes, and 1 had somnolence.
The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee.
Key Numbers
25 patients, ages 1-17. Two formulations: 20:1 CBD:THC (0.25% THC) and 6:1 CBD:THC (0.83% THC). 5-month treatment period. Significant improvement in spasticity, dystonia, sleep, pain, and QOL. Adverse effects: seizure worsening (2), behavioral changes (2), somnolence (1).
How They Did This
Open-label pilot study of 25 children with complex motor disorders. Two CBD-enriched oil formulations (20:1 and 6:1 CBD:THC) administered for 5 months. Outcomes assessed included spasticity, dystonia, sleep, pain, and quality of life.
Why This Research Matters
Children with complex motor disorders have limited treatment options and significant suffering from spasticity and pain. This pilot study suggests CBD-enriched cannabis oil may help across multiple symptom domains simultaneously, which is unusual for a single intervention in this population.
The Bigger Picture
Pediatric cannabis medicine is a rapidly developing but evidence-scarce field. This study adds to the small body of evidence suggesting CBD may help with motor symptoms in children, complementing the better-established evidence for CBD in pediatric epilepsy.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Open-label design without placebo control, so improvement could reflect placebo effect, natural fluctuation, or caregiver expectation. Small sample (25 patients). No blinding between the two CBD:THC ratios. Short duration for a chronic condition.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would a placebo-controlled trial confirm these benefits?
- ?Is the 20:1 or 6:1 ratio more effective?
- ?What is the optimal duration of treatment?
- ?Are the improvements sustained after stopping treatment?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Significant improvement across 5 symptom domains in children aged 1-17
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary. Open-label pilot study without placebo control. Promising results that need confirmation in controlled trials.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2018. Pediatric cannabis medicine research has continued to expand, though controlled trials remain limited.
- Original Title:
- Medical Cannabis for Pediatric Moderate to Severe Complex Motor Disorders.
- Published In:
- Journal of child neurology, 33(9), 565-571 (2018)
- Authors:
- Libzon, Stephanie, Schleider, Lihi Bar-Lev(2), Saban, Naama(2), Levit, Luda, Tamari, Yulia, Linder, Ilan, Lerman-Sagie, Tally, Blumkin, Lubov
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01731
Evidence Hierarchy
A small preliminary study to test whether a larger study is feasible.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same CBD used for epilepsy?
Similar compound, different formulation. This study used CBD-enriched whole-plant cannabis oil with small amounts of THC, while the FDA-approved epilepsy drug Epidiolex is pure pharmaceutical CBD. The presence of other cannabis compounds in the oil may contribute to the effects.
Is it safe to give cannabis products to children as young as 1?
This was an ethics-committee-approved clinical study of children with severe, treatment-resistant conditions. The CBD-enriched oils contained very low THC (0.25-0.83%). Adverse effects were rare in this small study. Any use of cannabis-based medicines in children should be under medical supervision.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01731APA
Libzon, Stephanie; Schleider, Lihi Bar-Lev; Saban, Naama; Levit, Luda; Tamari, Yulia; Linder, Ilan; Lerman-Sagie, Tally; Blumkin, Lubov. (2018). Medical Cannabis for Pediatric Moderate to Severe Complex Motor Disorders.. Journal of child neurology, 33(9), 565-571. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073818773028
MLA
Libzon, Stephanie, et al. "Medical Cannabis for Pediatric Moderate to Severe Complex Motor Disorders.." Journal of child neurology, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073818773028
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Medical Cannabis for Pediatric Moderate to Severe Complex Mo..." RTHC-01731. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/libzon-2018-medical-cannabis-for-pediatric
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.