The potential beneficial effects of CBD on cognition in patients with schizophrenia have critical importance, since cognitive deficits are common in schizophrenia (up to 75%-85% of patients), usually precede other symptoms, and respond minimally to the available pharmacological treatments.
In 2012, Leweke and colleagues published the first double blind randomized controlled clinical trial on the therapeutic effects of CBD (600-800 mg/d for 4 weeks) compared with amisulpride on acute psychosis in individuals with schizophrenia (N = 42). The study concluded that CBD is as effective as amisulpride in treating psychotic symptoms and has fewer adverse effects, including less extra pyramidal symptoms and weight gain. More recently, McGuire and colleagues used CBD as an adjunctive medication in treatment of acute psychosis in individuals who had schizophrenia or other non-affective psychotic disorders. Participants (N = 88) received either CBD 1000 mg daily (in two divided doses) or placebo in addition to their routine antipsychotic medications (continued unchanged during the study) for 6 weeks and the CBD group showed greater improvement of positive psychotic symptoms.