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rawramen on December 15th, 2017 at 17:36 UTC »
I have full access to this article through work. It was a 6-week study duration, double blind placebo controlled.
Let me break down the findings so light can be shed on the actual “beneficial” effects:
The PANNS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; gold standard for Schizophrenia research) score for CBD arm went down on average by 3 points on the positive symptom subscale (out of a total possible scale total of 49; average pt baseline score was 18) and THE PLACEBO (sugar pill) group PANNS positive symptom score went down by 2. It wasn’t even statistically significant. Same non-separating score differences with little change from baseline for the negative symptom and general psychopathology sub scales on the PANNS.
The % of patients improving in their CGI (Clinical Global Impressions Scale or “clinician’s subjective perspective of improvement”) was 78.6% CBD vs 54.6% placebo, with statistical significance (separation).
GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning) scores improved by 3 points, not different between CBD and placebo. 3 points out of 100. The authors specifically cite “there was no significant group differences in patient and carer impressions of change in general functioning.”
Cognitive (“thinking, judging, planning, organizing, memory, language, math, etc.”) performance on CBD again not notable and not different from placebo.
Side effects: 30 total (CBD) and 35 total (placebo) in about half as many patients for each group. Mostly upset stomach, mild.
So the moral of the story? What can be said? Please don’t fall into the trap of taking “headline news,” placing it in a concrete box “CBD (or worse “pot”) good for Schizophrenia” or “CBD bad for Schizophrenia” and assuming it’s a done deal, we now solved the psychotic world’s problems with a drug.
Mol3cular on December 15th, 2017 at 16:07 UTC »
CBD is an isolated compound, derived from CBDA, and is not the whole extract
Wigwag85 on December 15th, 2017 at 15:36 UTC »
Note that CBD is not THC. THC is the much more psychoactive component of marijuana.
Do not tell schizophrenics that smoking weed will help them or cure them. It is much more likely to make their symptoms worse.