Chemical in marijuana shows promise as treatment option for schizophrenia

In this first-of-its-kind study by Steven Laviolette, PhD, Anatomy and Cell Biology, a chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol, or CBD, was shown to affect the brain in a way that makes it an ideal treatment option for schizophrenia.

Using pre-clinical models in rodents, Laviolette and his team showed that CBD normalizes schizophrenia-like disturbances in the brain’s dopamine system. By doing so, CBD alleviates schizophrenia-related symptoms linked to abnormal dopamine activity, such as psychosis and cognitive problems. The team also demonstrated that the chemical is bypassing the molecular pathway in the brain that causes the negative side effects typically seen in traditional antipsychotic medications.

While CBD has shown promise as a treatment for schizophrenia in previous studies, this research is the first to show exactly how it acts on the brain to have positive results in mitigating psychiatric symptoms without causing the fatigue, lack of motivation and other side effects associated with traditional medications.