Severe motor and vocal tics controlled with Sativex®.

OBJECTIVES

A single case report on cannabinoid treatment for treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome (TS).

METHOD: Our subject received 10.8 mg Tetrahydocannabinol and 10 mg cannabidiol daily, in the form of two oro-mucosal sprays of 'Sativex®', twice daily. Assessment was pre-treatment and at week one, two, and four during treatment. He completed the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale as a subjective measure, and was videoed at each stage. The videos were objectively rated by two assessors, blind to the stage of treatment, using the Original Rush Videotape Rating Scale.

RESULTS

Both subjective and objective measures demonstrated marked improvement in the frequency and severity of motor and vocal tics post-treatment. There was good interrater reliability of results.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support previous research suggesting that cannabinoids are a safe and effective treatment for TS and should be considered in treatment-resistant cases. Further studies are needed to substantiate our findings.