The latest news about CBD from this week is here:
- Recent research has provided further insights into how CBD affects the brain to reduce the psychosis related to schizophrenia.
- New state plans have been approved by the USDA and received more than 4,600 comments on its Interim Final Rule for hemp.
Stories
- Research: Brain Imaging Reveals CBD Has Antipsychotic Effects
- USDA Legalizes More State Plans, Gets Over 4,600 Comments on Hemp Rules
Research: Brain Imaging Reveals CBD Has Antipsychotic Effects
Brain images are being used by scientists to understand better the way in which CBD reduces psychosis.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study by scientists at King’s College London has uncovered more details on the mechanism CBD uses to alleviate psychosis symptoms.
Thirteen psychosis patients took two sessions of fMRI imaging after three hours of receiving a placebo and 600mg of CBD.
Imagining was also conducted by the researchers on a control group of 19 healthy contributors who had not taken CBD or placebo.
Imaging under placebo showed that there is a significant difference in functional connectivity between striatum and hippocampus of psychosis patients and healthy participants.
Nonetheless, the dysfunction in these areas was decreased by CBD.
The lead author of the study, Sagnik Bhattacharyya, said, “This research offers significant insight into the mechanism of the brain behind the antipsychotic effects of CBD. It assures the antipsychotic potential of CBD by explaining that it targets the function of brain regions involved in psychosis and exhibits that even a single dose may improve the changes in some of the brain functions that may underlie psychosis.”
Psychosis symptoms are also reduced in the patients due to CBD
Bhattacharyya said that the improvement in the psychotic symptoms even after one dose of CBD is encouraging; however, clinical trials on a larger scale are required to examine if the impacts would continue with longer term treatment.
A previous study has offered convincing proof of CBD as a possible cure for depression linked to schizophrenia as well as other disorders exhibiting psychotic symptoms.
Bhattacharyya said that the findings from a significant part of the picture scientific effect is establishing on the effects of CBD and will help strengthen the argument on the use of CBD in various phases of psychosis as well as other neuropsychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, where a majority of patients may also encounter psychotic symptoms.
Schizophrenia has been diagnosed in 3.2 million people in the US, according to MentalHelp.net, a resource from American Addiction Centers.
An estimated 1.5 million will be diagnosed with the disease globally this year, while approximately 100,000 will be diagnosed in the US.
USDA Legalizes More State Plans, Receives Over 4,600 Comments On Hemp Rules
This week, more state hemp plans were approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the public comment period on its Interim Final Rule (IFR) for hemp has also been ended, accumulating over 4,600 comments.
Plans were approved up to six states by USDA including: Delaware, Nebraska, and Texas.
The agency said in an announcement that Hemp production plans from states and Indian tribes continued to be received and reviewed by USDA on a continuous basis. Previously plans were approved for the states of Ohio, New Jersey, and Louisiana, and the Santa Rosa Cahuilla, Flandreau Santee Sioux, and La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indian Tribes.
In October 2019, the USDA released its IFR for hemp.
Although the agency was praised for adhering to its goal of offering a hemp program for the 2020 growing season, many industry stakeholders were scrutinizing the regulations.
There are three main points criticisms revolves around:
- The 15-day harvest window is too narrow.
- Requiring testing to take place at laboratories accredited by USDA is too restrictive.
- The negligence level for THC (0.5%) is too low and does not recognize factors outside the control of a farmer.
States such as Kentucky and Colorado decided to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill hemp regulations for another year in response to these criticisms, while the USDA upgrades its IFR.
Through the public comment period, over 4,600 companies and individuals have voiced their concerns, addressing the concerns mentioned above.
USDA heard from state governors, congress, and advocacy organizations like the Vote Hemp and the US Hemp Roundtable.
Jared Polis (D), The governor of Colorado, said in a statement, “ we want to accelerate the growth and creativity for this industry. As currently drafted, the draft interim final rule does not promote best practices in hemp production at a crucial period in the growth of this vital industry. the proposed improvements that we have put forward would benefit the hemp industry as appropriate guidelines are set.”
