Schizophrenia is mental disability
where the person has inappropriate thoughts, emotions, behavior
feelings and actions causing an altered reality of delusions and
hallucinations. (Source)
Studies have found a theory that the human endogenous cannabinoid
system is a major source of the causes of schizophrenia. (Source)
The endogenous cannabinoid system is responsible in the brain to
trigger signals relating to appetite, the feeling of pain, mood and
memory as well as regulating phychoactive effects by cannabis from
the most notable CB1, CB2 and Anandamide
receptors of the nervous system (Source).
Studies have shown promising benefits
of Marijuana to relieve Schizophrenia symptoms. Cannabis should not
be a replacement for prescribed drugs for the condition without
talking to your physician. The Drug Enforement Agency DEA has
categorized cannabis as a schedule 1 drug, research for cannabis is
lacking and conclusive evidence for benefits of Schizophrenia is
still in progress.(Source)
Here are a collection of studies regarding marijuana and
Schizophrenia:
Markus Leweke of the University of
Cologne in Germany conducted a study with 39 individuals with
schizophrenia giving half cannabidiol (CBD) and the other half
Amisulpride, an anti psychotic drug used for schizophrenia treatment.
Cannabidiol is derived from the cannabis plant and is an antioxidant
anti psycho-active part of the marijuana plant. The results showed
that the symptoms equally went down for all subjects, with the people
using cannabidiol (CBD) having less side effects. (Source)
Dr. Daniele Piomelli, professor of
pharmacology at the University of California-Irvine has studied the
anandamide receptors of the
nervous system in the endogenous cannabinoid system. Dr. Piomellis
theorizes with this study that cannabidiol CBD helps with
schizophrenia by saying “What CBD seems to be doing is preventing
anandamide from being destroyed”.(Source)
Raquel Levin and Fernanda F. Peres in
Brazil did a study on mice with schizophrenia in which they gave
Cannabidiol CBD to some mice and WIN55212,2 (synthetic cannabinoid
agonist) to the other. Both were able to show positive results in
improving sensory gating deficits. The results from the team were
“Our results reinforce the role of the endocannabinoid system in
the sensorimotor gating impairment related to schizophrenia, and
point to cannabinoid drugs as potential therapeutic strategies.”
(Source)
Future Studies
Currently, GW Pharmaceuticals is doing
a study on their own GWP-42003 which is derived from cannabidiol CBD.
They are doing the research in hopes of finding treatment with
cannabis for schizophrenia. They have finished phase 1 and it shows
promising results and they are now doing phase 2 (Source)
For medication to be introduced in the
United States with cannabidiol CBD, it first needs to be FDA approved
for study. The FDA has approved experimental use for CBD for the
treatment of Dravet syndrome. Soon the FDA is set to allow it for
clinical trials in showing safety and tolerability for CBD in
children.(Source)
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