Single center experience with medical cannabis in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome

Introduction: Patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) experience reduced function and impaired quality of life. The current medical treatments for this syndrome can cause significant side effects and offer partial symptomatic relief. In a few small trials medical cannabis (MC) has been suggested to offer symptomatic relief with a relatively benign side effect profile. We conducted a real-life assessment of clinical benefit and adverse effects of chronic MC treatment among patients with GTS.

Methods: GTS patients treated with MC were interviewed via phone regarding treatment efficacy and side effect profile from chronic MC consumption. Global efficacy was rated on a Likert scale of 1-5 and side effects of treatment were recorded.

Results: Forty-Two GTS patients (33 males, mean age 34.5) were interviewed for this study. The total global impression score of efficacy was 3.85 out of a total 5 possible points. Patients reported during the free discussion part of the interview about reduction in tic severity, better sleep and improved mood as positive effects of MC. Thirty-eight patients reported any kind of benefit from treatment while 10 patients with more than one year of consumption elected to stop treatment with MC for various reasons including severe side effects as psychosis in one patient.

Conclusion: MC seems to hold promise in the treatment of GTS as it demonstrated high subjective satisfaction by most patients however not without side effects and should be further investigated as a treatment option for this syndrome.