Researchers examine how CBD and therapy combo may have greater effects on anxiety
Through the support of a two-year, $3.42 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine researchers are evaluating whether cannabidiol, or CBD, can enhance the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.
CBD, a non-intoxicating component of cannabis, has been linked to reductions in anxiety symptoms and has been shown to modulate activity in brain regions involved in emotion regulation — particularly the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Its use alongside psychotherapy remains largely untested.
“We’re not using over-the-counter CBD,” said Hilary Marusak, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, and an affiliate faculty member in Wayne State’s Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. “We’re using Epidiolex, an FDA-approved and purified form of CBD that’s shown to be safe and effective for treating seizure disorders. Through our research, in collaboration with neurologist Aimee Luat (M.D., associate professor of Neurology at WSU), we’ve found that many patients with epilepsy who take Epidiolex also report reductions in anxiety, which is often a co-occurring condition. While there is growing evidence that CBD may help with anxiety, rigorous clinical trials are still lacking.”
Along with Dr. Marusak, the project is led by Leslie Lundahl, Ph.D., professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, and Christine Rabinak, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacy Practice in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and an affiliate faculty member of the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute.
“Cognitive behavioral therapy is effective for many people, but about half of individuals with anxiety don’t respond adequately. There’s a lot of room for improvement.” Dr. Marusak said. “Our goal is to determine if CBD can help more people benefit from therapy by enhancing the brain's ability to regulate emotions.”
The research will take a phased approach, beginning with a mechanistic trial to determine whether the combination of CBD and cognitive behavioral therapy alters neural activity in targeted brain regions. Participants will undergo functional MRI scans during an emotion regulation task to evaluate dmPFC activation. If successful, future phases will assess clinical outcomes and symptom improvement.
“R61 awards from the National Institutes of Health are important funding mechanisms to support early-stage, exploratory research ideas,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for Research & Innovation at Wayne State University. “This project will allow our researchers to test their innovative ideas that will hopefully lead to a larger, more intensive project in the future. I look forward to seeing the impact this study could make.”
The award number for this grant from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health is 1R61MH137105-01A1.