Background: 15 patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a neurodevelopment
outpatient clinic in combined use of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),
in 100 mg/ml CBD concentration and 3 mg/ml of THC, with initial dosage of 1 mg/kg/day
and maximum of 5 mg/kg/day for a six-month period. The patients were all non-syndromic,
without epilepsy, and with ASD level 2 or 3, with or without associated intellectual
deficiency.
Objective: The parameters analyzed prior and after treatment were aggressiveness, social cognition,
learning capabilities, language, sleep, appetite, and collateral effects, through
clinical evaluation, neuropsychological testing, and questionnaire answered by the
parents.
Methods: Level 2 and 3 ASD patients present a higher degree of compromise in their social
cognition and communication, with more disruptive behaviors (self-injury, Hetero-Aggressiveness)
and higher inflexibility of repetitive and/or restrictive interests. Out of the 15
patients selected, 13 were male and 2 were female; 12 were ASD Level 2 and 3 were
Level 3. The average age was 11,1 years old.
Results: Among the evaluated patients, 12 (80%) showcased improvement in their social cognition,
with higher frequency of eye contact; 10 (66%) had less aggressiveness, both Hetero-Aggressiveness
and self-injury; 10 (66%) presented a higher degree of interest in communication and
language usage, both receptive and expressive; 7 (46%) demonstrated better learning
capabilities. Regarding the appetite: 7 showcased enhanced food selectivity behavior,
though 4 (53%) of them got better; out of the 6 that previously had overeating disorders,
4 (66%) demonstrated some improvement in regulating their appetite. All the 3 patients
that previously had sleeping disorders showed improvement. Regarding collateral effects,
one patient initially had nausea and vomiting, which later stopped; another patient
had an increase in their overeating disorder habits.
Conclusions: This work brings to light therapeutic possibilities in the management of more severe
ASD cases, since it is common that, in spite of commonly requiring the use of several
drugs, many patients remain with a high number of maladaptive behaviors. Even with
the reduced sample size, this research contributes by demonstrating the treatment
used presented an improvement in social-related symptoms, such as eye contact and
communication interest, which is the main concern of this disorder, and that other
therapeutic options did not tackle as efficiently.
