Topline
A cannabis-derived medication significantly decreased nightmares in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers in Germany found after conducting a double-blind study—and more than a third of patients who took the drug reported their nightmares disappeared entirely.
More than a third of PTSD patients who took a cannabis-derived drug stopped having nightmares altogether, a new study from researchers in Germany found.
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Key Facts
Researchers at German hospital Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study over ten weeks with 170 patients on Dronabinol—a prescription medication made from THC directly derived from cannabis plants.
In a study published by journal Nature Medicine on Wednesday, the researchers found “nightmare burden” in PTSD patients who took the drug fell compared to the group taking the placebo, with five out of six patients in the group given the drug reporting their health “markedly improved.”
Prof. Stefan Röpke, one of the researchers leading the project, said in an accompanying press release at least 21% of patients taking the drug reported their nightmares were reduced by half, and over one-third of patients reported they were no longer having nightmares at all after ten weeks of medication.
However, the drug only treated nightmares, the study found, and did not treat other PTSD symptoms—including the accompanying depression caused by the condition.
Surprising Fact
Patients who took the drug had no severe side effects, researchers said on Wednesday, although some reported moderate to mild ones, including “dizziness, headache, or increased appetite.” Researchers also did not see any withdrawal symptoms from patients after the study concluded, and plan to continue researching its safety over longer periods of time.
Crucial Quote
The Dronabinol used in the study was derived from cannabis plants, and contains one of the primary psychoactive compounds found in the plant—tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. “There is evidence suggesting that during REM sleep—the intense dream phases in which the brain processes experiences and regulates emotions—THC reduces dream activity and thereby alleviates nocturnal stress responses,” Röpke said in a statement after the study was published on Wednesday.