Medicinal cannabis has been a topic of great interest to the epilepsy community since the approval of the first FDA-approved prescription cannabidiol (CBD) in 2018. It is important to note that The FDA has not approved the cannabis plant for any medical use, just individual drugs that contain individual cannabinoids. Cannabinoids, or substances in cannabis that act on cells in the brain, include over 100 different types but two of which that have been widely studied in the research community: CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

THC is the major chemical compound found in many strains of marijuana that creates a psychoactive effect when it binds to receptors in the brain. CBD binds to different receptors and is not psychoactive. Since the FDA approval of Epidiolex®, a mostly purified plant-based cannabidiol oil used to treat seizures associated rare genetic epilepsies, there is greater efforts to understand the mechanisms behind CBD and if other cannabinoids might be useful in the treatment of seizures.

Marijuana products sold in dispensaries and online are not approved or regulated by the FDA and can vary significantly in quality, safety, and effectiveness. In some cases, commercial, nonprescription cannabis products are thought to increase seizures.

Today’s webinar will review the basics of cannabis biology and the differences between cannabis strains, as well as explain the medical uses of medical marijuana and the recent approvals of cannabidiol (CBD) in specific epilepsy types. Attendees will also learn about the broader uses of medical marijuana for epilepsy. This webinar is generously supported with funding by Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Eric Marsh is an Associate Professor of Neurology at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Clinical Director of Penn Orphan Disease Center, and Director of the CHOP Rett and Related disorders clinic.
Dr. Marsh has particular clinical interests in developmental epilepsies, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and cortical malformations. His research has focused strongly on the impact of intraneuronal development and altered excitability on epilepsy, analyzing intracranial EEG recordings to better localize the epileptic zone and network, and performing natural history and biomarker studies. This work has primarily utilized a model of mutations in the gene ARX, but also performing basic science work with a number of other developmental genes including mouse work on Cdkl5. He has also been involved in a number of clinical trials for children with the DEEs, including Dravet, LGS, and Rett syndrome.