Can medical cannabis help treat autism? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that is typically recognized in the first two years of life, and has no proven cure, according to the National Institutes of Health. Fortunately, numerous scientific studies and reports of anecdotal evidence suggest medical cannabis may work as an effective treatment for autism.
Autism is one of eight conditions to be discussed at a public hearing in Illinois next month that will determine whether the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board recommends the disorder be added to the state’s current list of debilitating medical conditions. In addition to autism, the board will hear testimony regarding chronic pain due to trauma, chronic pain syndrome, chronic post-operative pain, intractable pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), osteoarthritis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Illinois’ Medical Cannabis Advisory Board will soon hear testimony regarding how medical cannabis may help treat autism.
The Illinois Department of Public Health’s public hearing, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7 in Countryside, Ill., provides medical cannabis proponents the opportunity to voice their support for adding any of the eight conditions to the list of what can be legally treated with medical cannabis.
This is the first in a series of articles examining each of the eight conditions to be discussed at Illinois’ upcoming public hearing. For more details about the public hearing and how to get involved, click here.
What is autism?
The most common characteristics of autism are impaired communication, repetitive behaviors and movements, and developmental delays especially with social interaction, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Communication challenges make interacting with others very difficult for those with autism. Those with autism frequently avoid eye contact, and struggle to interpret social cues, such as facial expressions or tone of voice, according to NIH. This breakdown in communication can lead to extreme anger and frustration for both parties, and can create extreme anxiety for the autistic child, especially as they get older.
Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder because no two cases of the condition are exactly the same, and the symptoms vary on a large scale from mild to severe. While conventional medical treatments for autism vary depending on the patient’s place within the spectrum, common classifications of medications for the condition are anti-depressants and/or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anti-psychotics, and anticonvulsants. Many of these medications can have serious side effects, and there are concerns about long-term usage.
How might medical cannabis help?
An article from the Autism Support Network about medical cannabis explains how one mother saw improvement in her autistic son after beginning medical cannabis treatment. Mieko Hester-Perez noticed an immediate improvement in his behavior after she began administrating medical cannabis treatment, she says. After receiving medical cannabis treatment her son wanted to sit and play with toys, which he previously did not do.
Peer-reviewed research suggests the benefits of medical cannabis treatment of autism as well. The study “Alterations in the Endocannabinoid System in the Rat Valproic Acid Model of Autism” evaluated the endocannabinoid system of rats with autistic-like behaviors. Rats exhibit autistic-like behaviors when they are exposed to valproic acid (VPA) while in the womb.
The endocannabinoid (EC) system plays a crucial role in regulating emotionality and social behavior. “The natural chemicals produced by the body that interact within the EC system are called cannabinoids, and like THC, they interact with receptors to regulate these important body functions,” explains Scholastic. All mammals have an endocannabinoid system.
Rats with the VPA model of autism showed a decrease and increase in certain enzymes, associated with the endocannabinoid system, in both the cerebellum and the hippocampus of the brain; whereas rats in the control group did not exhibit these abnormalities in enzyme levels. This data suggests that deficiencies within the endocannabinoid system may cause some of the behavioral changes associated with autism. Therefore, modulation of the endocannabinoid system with medical cannabis may have pharmacological potential for the treatment of behavioral traits associated with autism.