Grant: Team Grant: Cannabis Research in Priority Areas - Mental Health

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by symptoms such as reduced social communication and interactions, repetitive behaviors and deficits in interests or activities. ASD arises from alterations in brain development that manifest from an early age. Recent studies suggest that the endocannabinoid system, a major regulator of behavioral functions in the brain, could be a viable target for ASD treatment. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a safe and non-mind altering plant based cannabinoid proposed to relieve several psychiatric illnesses including psychosis, addiction, obsessive compulsion, and anxiety related disorders. There is high interest for CBD's potential for treating ASD associated symptoms in patients; however, the information on how CBD works in the body, its effectiveness, dosing regime and clinical information remains limited. The objective of this project will be to investigate the therapeutic effects of CBD for treating symptoms associated with ASD. Notably, ASD is 4 times more prevalent in males than females. Although some of the differences in diagnosis may arise from societal biases, there are biological factors that contribute to the resilience in females. This study will investigate both autistic mouse models and human patients from both sexes to establish whether they respond similarly to CDB treatment. Overall, this work will broaden our understanding of the effects of CBD on ASD and potentially support the implementation of clinical strategies to alleviate symptoms associated with this neurological disorder in both sexes.