Objectives: To investigate the beneficial outcomes of giving cannabidiol (CBD) 3% over a six-month period in the BPSD, the management of which is a crucial issue for everyday clinical praxis and to compare the progress in BPSD of patients who receive Cannabidiol 3% with those who follow usual medical treatment (UMT) in everyday clinical praxis.
Methods: A total of 20 PwD with severe BPSD were recruited from the database of Alzheimer Hellas with NPI score >30. Ten of them were assigned to UMT, while ten were assigned to a six-month treatment with CBD drops. The follow-up assessment was performed with NPI, both clinically and by structured telephone interview.
Results: The follow-up assessment with NPI showed significant improvement of the BPSD in all our patients who received CBD, and no or limited improvement in the second group, regardless of the underlying neuropathology of dementia.
Conclusions: We suggest that CBD may be a more effective and safe choice for managing BPSD than the typical intervention. Future large randomized clinical trials are needed to re-assure these findings.
Clinical implications: Healthcare professionals should consider incorporating CBD 3% into their practices to reduce BPSD in PwD. Regular assessments are necessary to ensure long-term effectiveness.
Keywords: Behavioral and Psychological symptoms of Dementia (BPSD); Cannabinoids; cannabidiol; dementia; neuropsychiatric symptoms.