CBD Shows Promise for Treating Drug-Resistant Epileptic Spasms

Source: Pediatric neurology

Summary

Researchers studied the use of cannabidiol (CBD) as an additional treatment for children over the age of 2 who have drug-resistant epileptic spasms (ES). This study took place at Niño Jesus Hospital in Madrid, Spain, between 2020 and 2024. The team looked at 53 patients who had not responded well to other epilepsy medications and focused on how often their seizures occurred before and after starting CBD treatment.

The findings showed that more than half of the children (58.5%) had a significant reduction in the frequency of their spasms, with 15% of them becoming completely free of these seizures. The best results were seen in children with specific conditions like Down syndrome and malformations of cortical development. However, many patients experienced side effects, with drowsiness and behavioral changes being the most common. Some children stopped taking CBD because it didn't work for them or because of these side effects.

This study is important because it suggests that CBD can be a helpful option for children with hard-to-treat epileptic spasms, especially for certain groups of patients. However, the study had limitations, such as a small number of participants and a short follow-up time. More research with larger groups and longer observation periods is needed to confirm these results and to see if CBD could be used earlier in treatment for epilepsy.

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