Cannabidiol Oil Reduces Seizures in Some Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Patients, unravels study

Cannabidiol-enriched oil (CBDO) is increasingly used as an adjunct treatment for adults with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Despite its rising popularity, there is a lack of large-scale studies supporting its efficacy in this patient population. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of add-on CBDO on seizure frequency, gait, cognitive function, affective state, and sleep quality. The study explored electrophysiological changes in responders and non-responders to CBDO treatment.

In this prospective study, 19 adult DRE patients were recruited, and 16 completed both pre- and post-CBDO assessments. Patients were given a daily maintenance dose of approximately 260 mg of CBD and 12 mg of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for four weeks. The outcomes measured included seizure frequency, gait testing, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and sleep-quality questionnaires. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings during rest and event-related potentials (ERPs) during a visual Go/NoGo task, both sitting and walking, were also analyzed.

The study findings were as follows:

• Among the 16 patients, seven (43.75%) were classified as responders, showing an average seizure reduction of 82.4%.

• Nine patients (56.25%) were non-responders, experiencing an average seizure increase of 30.1%.

• Responders showed better performance in dual-task walking post-treatment (p = .015).

• A significant correlation was found between an increase in MoCA scores and seizure reduction (r = .810, p = .027).

• Post-CBDO P300 amplitude was lower during No/Go-sitting in non-responders (p = .028) and during No/Go-walking in responders (p = .068).

The study highlights that CBDO can be an effective treatment for reducing seizures in a significant subset of patients with DRE. However, the treatment may not be beneficial for all, as some patients experienced an increase in seizure frequency. The findings suggest that there are no specific baseline clinical or electrophysiological characteristics that can predict response to CBDO treatment. CBDO shows promise in reducing seizure frequency in some patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, although it may not be effective for all.

Reference:

Glatt, S., Shohat, S., Yam, M., Goldstein, L., Maidan, I., & Fahoum, F. (2024). Cannabidiol‐enriched oil for adult patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy: Prospective clinical and electrophysiological study. Epilepsia. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.18025