Cannabidiol has a number of effects on the central nervous system that may be relevant to autism.
The Ray and Tye Noorda Foundation’s $4.7 million gift to UCSD’s Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research will fund research on the potential of cannabidiol, a nonpsychoactive compound found in cannabis, as a severe autism treatment. It is the largest private gift to date for medicinal cannabis research in US.
The center will study patients using advanced mathematics as well as clinical, scientific and genetic techniques to determine whether cannabidiol can ease autism symptoms.
“UC San Diego is pleased to partner with the Noorda and Wholistic foundations to advance understanding of when and how medicinal cannabis works, and to use this information to transform the lives of the many people for whom medicinal cannabis may make a meaningful difference in their quality of life,” said David A. Brenner, vice chancellor of UCSD Health Sciences. “We believe that by working together using evidence-based data, we can make the greatest impact on the field, our community and policy decision-makers.”
While the causes of autism are not fully understood, a number of abnormalities have been identified in the brains of individuals with autism. Cannabidiol appears to have a number of effects on the central nervous system which may be relevant to autism, including correcting imbalances in certain neurotransmitters.
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