Citation

Feinstein A, Meza C, Stefan C, Staines WR. Mult. Scler. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1352458520934070

PMID

32589554

Abstract

To assess whether symptoms of depression change when people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) discontinue cannabis use, 40 cognitively impaired pwMS who smoked cannabis almost daily were randomly assigned to either a cannabis continuation (CC) or cannabis withdrawal (CW) group. Both groups were followed for 28 days. All participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. At day 28 the 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydro-cannabinol (THCCOOH)/creatinine ratio in the CW group declined to zero (p = 0.0001), but remained unchanged in the CC group (p = 0.709). Depression scores in those pwMS who were using cannabis to manage their depression remained statistically unchanged in the CC group, but declined in the CW group (p = 0.006). Despite pwMS using cannabis to help their mood, depression improved significantly off the drug. Our finding provides a cautionary note in relation to cannabis use in pwMS, at least with respect to depression.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; cannabis