Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40836528›Full record

Trial reportClinical pharmacology and therapeutics2026

Cannabidiol Lacks Direct Effect on Cortical Excitability: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, 3-Way Crossover Trial.

Andriy A Gorbenko, Catherine M K E de Cuba, Annika A de Goede, Titiaan E Post, Roman Bohoslavsky, Pamela K Strugala, Jules A A C Heuberger, Geert Jan Groeneveld

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Andriy A GorbenkoCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-5917-7888
Catherine M K E de CubaCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0007-2998-708X
Annika A de GoedeCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1549-6753
Titiaan E PostCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-4844-6402
Roman BohoslavskyCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0003-5280-4377
Pamela K StrugalaCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0008-2525-2323
Jules A A C HeubergerCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-7202-5088
Geert Jan GroeneveldCentre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-4655-6667

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is approved as an adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis. Its therapeutic and adverse effects are thought to arise, at least partly, from a pharmacokinetic interaction with clobazam, another anti-seizure medication (ASM). The goal of this study was to evaluate the intrinsic anti-epileptic and sedative properties of CBD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-way crossover trial was conducted in 25 healthy males. On each visit, single doses of 30 mg CBD, 700 mg CBD, or placebo were administered orally. The effects of CBD on cortical excitability were measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG). Sedative properties were assessed using a validated CNS test battery. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effects model. CBD did not have significant effects on single pulse and paired pulse TMS-EMG parameters, compared to placebo. Some significant clusters were seen on paired pulse TMS-EEG at 3 hours post-dose for 30 mg CBD, and at 3 and 5 hours post-dose for 700 mg CBD. CBD did not have significant effects on any tests assessing its sedative properties. These results suggest that CBD may lack intrinsic anti-epileptic and sedative properties and that its effects could be primarily a product of interactions with other drugs, notably clobazam.

Indexed as

AnticonvulsantsCannabidiolCortical ExcitabilityAdolescentAdultCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodElectroencephalographyElectromyographyHumansHypnotics and SedativesMaleTranscranial Magnetic StimulationYoung AdultAnticonvulsantsCannabidiolHypnotics and Sedatives

Identifiers

PMID40836528
PMCPMC12746520

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.