Cannabidiol and cannabis-inspired terpene blends have acute prosocial effects in the BTBR mouse model of autism spectrum disorder.
Jenika Staben, Megan Koch, Keelee Reid, Jessica Muckerheide, Lauren Gilman, Finn McGuinness, Sarina Kiesser, Iain W H Oswald, Kevin A Koby, Thomas J Martin, Joshua S Kaplan
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1185737 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Female BTBR mice, an inbred strain used to model autism spectrum disorder-like behaviors |
| Intervention | CBD-rich broad spectrum hemp oil |
| Measures | 3-Chamber Test, elevated plus maze |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Autism spectrum disorder Cannabinoid Social behavior Terpenes Volatile organic compounds |
| Key points | CBD-rich hemp oil vapor increased prosocial behavior in female BTBR mice, with a different vapor dose-response relationship for prosocial behavior than for anxiety-related behavior. Vaporized terpene blends from OG Kush, Do-Si-Dos, and Blue Dream also increased prosocial behavior independently of CBD and acted together with CBD to produce a robust prosocial effect, with the authors reporting that these benefits rely on combinations of multiple terpenes. |
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid with increasing popularity due to its purported therapeutic efficacy for numerous off-label conditions including anxiety and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Those with ASD are commonly deficient in endogenous cannabinoid signaling and GABAergic tone. CBD has a complex pharmacodynamic profile that includes enhancing GABA and endocannabinoid signaling. Thus, there is mechanistic justification for investigating CBD's potential to improve social interaction and related symptoms in ASD. Recent clinical trials in children with ASD support CBD's beneficial effects in numerous comorbid symptoms, but its impact on social behavior is understudied. Here, we tested the prosocial and general anxiolytic efficacy of a commercially available CBD-rich broad spectrum hemp oil delivered by repeated puff vaporization and consumed via passive inhalation in the female cohort of the BTBR strain, a common inbred mouse line for preclinical assessment of ASD-like behaviors. We observed that CBD enhanced prosocial behaviors using the 3-Chamber Test with a different vapor dose-response relationship between prosocial behavior and anxiety-related behavior on the elevated plus maze. We also identified that inhalation of a vaporized terpene blend from the popular OG Kush cannabis strain increased prosocial behavior independently of CBD and acted together with CBD to promote a robust prosocial effect. We observed similar prosocial effects with two additional cannabis terpene blends from the Do-Si-Dos and Blue Dream strains, and further reveal that these prosocial benefits rely on the combination of multiple terpenes that comprise the blends. Our results illustrate the added benefit of cannabis terpene blends for CBD-based treatment of ASD.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on CBD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 4
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- Inverted U-Shaped Dose-Response Curve of the Anxiolytic Effect of Cannabidiol during Public Speaking in Real Life Frontiers in Pharmacology May 11, 2017
- Prosocial Effects of Nonpsychotropic Cannabis sativa in Mice. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research April 2022
- The “Entourage Effect”: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders Current Neuropharmacology January 23, 2020