New research presented at the 2025 European Congress of Psychiatry reveals that the use of cannabidiol (CBD)-heavy cannabis extract can lead to meaningful benefits and improve the behavior of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
ASD affects approximately 1 in 100 children around the world and symptoms can include difficult language, difficulty expressing emotions, and repetitive behavior around routines.
The meta-analysis included randomized, placebo-controlled trials on the efficacy or safety of CBD cannabis extracts in children and adolescents with ASD. These studies were used in total with 276 participants with a mean age of 10.5, ranging in ages from 5 to 21. The dosage of CBD cannabis extract started at 1 mg/kg per day and was titrated up to 10 mg/kg.
Key findings from this study include:
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CBD cannabis extract use shows moderate improvements in social responsiveness and small yet notable reductions in disruptive behaviours
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CBD cannabis extracts significantly enhanced social responsiveness and reduced disruptive behaviour
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The use of CBD cannabis extract has a favourable safety profile as it did not increase adverse events compared to placebo
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There were no significant differences between adverse events in CBD cannabis extract versus the placebo
Lara Cappelletti Benetti Branco, Lead Investigator, São Camilo University Center, University of São Paulo, said: “The global population prevalence of ASD diagnosis amongst children and adolescents is growing, but many treatment pathways are not effective. It is promising to see the effect of CBD cannabis extract on the study participants. However, there still needs to be considerable focus on further research with larger trials to clarify its efficacy and safety in managing ASD.”
Professor Geert Dom, EPA President, said: “ASD can be extremely frustrating for all involved; parents of children and adolescents with the disorder, the treating clinicians and of course the children and adolescents themselves. Much of this frustration is down to finding a viable treatment option that works to reduce symptoms. It is with delight that we see the results of this meta-analysis and we hope to see further research into this so we can move towards a solution to the unmet need within this population.”
The European Congress of Psychiatry takes place from 5-8 April 2025 in Madrid, Spain, and represents Europe’s largest congress dedicated to psychiatry, with over 5,200 attendees from over 120 countries. www.europsy.net
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