Cannabidiol reduces symptoms of depression
In a newly published study, Gregers Wegener, Sâmia Joca and Vitor S. Pereira from TNU, Aarhus University and their colleagues at the University of São Paulo found that cannabidiol reduced symptoms of depression in rats on the same day and maintained the beneficial effects for a week.

The conventional antidepressants usually take three to four weeks to have an effect, if any at all.
Therefore, the findings are important as cannabidiol given alone or in combination with other drugs may be promising in future and more effective treatment strategies for depressed patients.
Further preclinical studies are needed to fully understand the therapeutic mechanisms of Cannabidiol in Depression. Professor Gregers Wegener just received a grant of 2.5 million DKK from The Independent Research Fund Denmark to further investigate these mechanisms.
Further information on the study:
- Full article
Cannabidiol Induces Rapid and Sustained Antidepressant-Like Effects Through Increased BDNF Signaling and Synaptogenesis in the Prefrontal Cortex in Molecular Neurobiology using this link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12035-018-1143-4 - Press release from Aarhus University (Danish)
http://newsroom.au.dk/nyheder/vis/artikel/cannabidiol-fra-cannabisplanten-virker-mod-depression/ - Press release from Agência FAPESP
http://agencia.fapesp.br/research-suggests-cannabidiol-can-reduce-symptoms-of-depression/28570/ - P4 Morgen Østjylland (Danish)
https://www.dr.dk/radio/p4aarhus/p4aarhus-morgen-radio/p4-morgen-2018-09-19-06-05-2#!00:26:15
Contact:
Professor Gregers Wegener, MD, PhD, DSc(med)
Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University
wegener@clin.au.dk
Phone: +4578471112
Mobile: +4551717403