Cannabis-Based Spray Reduced Tourette Tics by Over 90%
A 25-year-old man with Tourette syndrome who had not responded to standard medication saw a greater than 90% reduction in tics after using nabiximols (a THC:CBD mouth spray) on an as-needed basis.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After standard treatment with Tiaprid 300 mg daily showed insufficient effect, a trial of buccal nabiximols spray used "as required" reduced motor and phonic tics by more than 90% in a patient with adult-onset Tourette syndrome.
Key Numbers
25-year-old male; tics developed after cessation of daily cannabis use; Tiaprid 300 mg/day showed insufficient effect; nabiximols reduced tics by >90%.
How They Did This
Single case report of a 25-year-old male with adult-onset Tourette syndrome treated with nabiximols spray after failure of standard medication.
Why This Research Matters
Tourette syndrome can be severely stigmatizing, and many patients don't respond adequately to standard medications. This case suggests nabiximols could serve as a supplementary treatment option for refractory cases.
The Bigger Picture
Small studies and case reports have suggested cannabinoid benefits for tics, and this case adds to the evidence base while highlighting the potential for as-needed dosing rather than continuous treatment.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report cannot establish efficacy; patient had prior daily cannabis use which may have influenced response; no blinded comparison.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would nabiximols show similar tic reduction in controlled trials?
- ?Is the as-needed dosing model more effective or safer than continuous cannabinoid use for tics?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Greater than 90% tic reduction with as-needed nabiximols spray
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report providing preliminary evidence only.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Tic Reduction in Adult Onset Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome Using as Required Nabiximols Spray.
- Published In:
- Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.), 11, 33 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03506
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is nabiximols?
Nabiximols (brand name Sativex) is a mouth spray containing roughly equal parts THC and CBD, approved in some countries for MS-related spasticity. In this case, it was used off-label for Tourette syndrome tics.
Why did the patient develop tics?
The patient developed stigmatizing motor and phonic tics after stopping daily cannabis use, suggesting a possible relationship between cannabinoid activity and tic suppression.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03506APA
Schwittay, Maximilian A; Steinbrecher, Andreas; Lobsien, Elmar. (2021). Tic Reduction in Adult Onset Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome Using as Required Nabiximols Spray.. Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.), 11, 33. https://doi.org/10.5334/tohm.613
MLA
Schwittay, Maximilian A, et al. "Tic Reduction in Adult Onset Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome Using as Required Nabiximols Spray.." Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, 2021. https://doi.org/10.5334/tohm.613
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Tic Reduction in Adult Onset Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome ..." RTHC-03506. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/schwittay-2021-tic-reduction-in-adult
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.