Cannabis - Tardive Dyskinesia Treatment

In moderation, scientific evidence has indicated that marijuana (cannabis) has great potential to help patients manage symptoms of a number of diseases. Research in this area has had mixed results. While some studies have shown cannabis to be useful in helping patients manage the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia, some patients report an increase in symptoms when cannabis is used.

To date, there has only been one formal clinical study on the effects of cannabis on tardive dyskinesia patients. Clinicians administered a rating test used to measure the severity of symptoms in tardive dyskinesia patients, called the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale or AIMS.

Patients who were older, female and had had the disorder for a longer time showed the worst symptoms. More significantly however, those with the highest AIMS scores were those who had used recreational cannabis.

Cannabis and Schizophrenia

Since tardive dyskinesia is largely due to the side effects of drugs used to treat psychosis, it seems appropriate to discuss the connection between cannabis use and mental disorders. While there is little harm in occasional, moderate use of cannabis, most clinical evidence shows a strong link between heavy, regular use and the development of certain kinds of mental disorders.

While scientific evidence does not suggest that cannabis is helpful for treating tardive dyskinesia, some patients do report that their use of marijuana relieves their symptoms. However, these reports are anecdotal and not scientific. It would seem inadvisable to use cannabis for such purposes without discussing it with a doctor. In any case, it should only be used in small to moderate doses.

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