CBD Improved Social Behavior and Reduced Repetitive Actions in Autism Mouse Model

High-dose CBD (50 mg/kg) reduced repetitive self-grooming and hyperlocomotion in BTBR mice. Low-dose CBD (20 mg/kg) rescued social deficits. Neither dose produced anxiety-like effects. The finding that different doses target different symptoms suggests CBD may need to be titrated based on the specific behavioral targets.

Male BTBR mice (an established model of idiopathic autism) received daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle, 20 mg/kg CBD, or 50 mg/kg CBD for two weeks starting at postnatal day 21. A battery of behavioral tests compared treated BTBR mice to vehicle-treated C57BL/6J controls.

Autism spectrum disorder affects 1 in 36 US children and has no approved pharmacological treatment for core symptoms. This study provides preclinical evidence that CBD could address multiple core features (social deficits, repetitive behaviors) and associated symptoms (hyperactivity).

The dose-dependent targeting of different autism-like behaviors opens the possibility of personalized CBD dosing strategies. If replicated in humans, lower doses might address social difficulties while higher doses target repetitive behaviors.

Mouse model of autism has inherent limitations in translating to human ASD. Only male mice were tested. The BTBR model represents idiopathic autism and may not generalize to all ASD subtypes. Intraperitoneal administration does not reflect typical human routes.