According to the results of a new study conducted by researchers from the National University Arturo Jauretche in Argentina, CBD is “effective and safe” in combatting drug-resistant epilepsy.
Researchers “conducted a prospective, observational, open cohort study, with a before-after design, in adult patients, we assessed the effectiveness, dosage, and tolerance of adjunctive CBD treatment.” The results were published in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior.
The aim of this study “was to evaluate, in the same patient population that was part of a previous observational study, depression, quality of life, anxious symptoms and daytime sleepiness before and after CBD treatment.”
Forty-four patients were enrolled in the study. Prior to CBD treatment, 50% of participants exhibited symptoms of depression.
“Following CBD treatment, 95.4 % of these individuals demonstrated a marked improvement (p = 0.001). Among this cohort, 71.5 % of patients reported minimal or no depressive symptoms post-treatment”, states the study.
“Moreover, 68 % of patients experienced an enhancement in their overall quality of life. Comparative analysis of BDI-II and QOLIE-10 scores before and after CBD treatment revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (p < 0.036 and < 0.001, respectively).”
Improvements in depressive symptoms were found to correspond with enhancements in quality of life. In terms of anxiety symptoms, 54.5 % of patients exhibited such symptoms prior to CBD treatment, with 71 % showing improvement post-treatment.
“Adjunctive CBD treatment in adult patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy was effective, safe, well tolerated and associated with significant improvement in depressive symptoms, anxiety and quality of life”, concludes the study.
