A German research team has found that more than half of Parkinson's disease patients using cannabinoids to manage their condition report a beneficial clinical impact.
Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf conducted a nationwide survey of German Parkinson Association members to gauge patient perceptions of medicinal cannabis and assess the experiences of those already using cannabis products.
More than 8% of respondents were already using cannabinoids, with 54% of those users reporting a beneficial clinical effect.
More than 40% said cannabis helped with pain management and muscle cramps, while more than 20% reported reductions in stiffness, freezing, tremor, depression, anxiety and restless legs.
Patients reported that inhaled cannabis products containing THC were more effective in treating stiffness than oral products containing CBD, though they were slightly less well tolerated.
Those using cannabis tended to be younger, more urban, and had greater awareness of the legal and clinical aspects of medicinal cannabis.
Around 65% of non-users expressed interest in trying medicinal cannabis, but knowledge of different cannabinoids was limited, with only 9% aware of the differences between THC and CBD. That lack of knowledge, combined with concerns about side effects, were cited as the main barriers to use.
The study is published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.