Wayne State University researchers are testing whether adding CBD to therapy can rewire how the brain handles anxiety.

The two-year study, funded by a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, looks at whether combining CBD with cognitive behavioral therapy can help people suffering from anxiety disorder. CBD is a non-intoxicating component of cannabis. Wayne State Psychology and Neuroscience Professor Hilary Marusak explains how this study stands out.

“There’s a lot of media attention about how CBD can help lower stress and even cure cancer, but there’s not a lot of empirical data to actually see if CBD does have an effect on things like anxiety, which is the most common mental disorder,” Marusak said.

In the first phase of the study, participants will undergo MRI scans during emotion-based tasks to see if the treatment changes brain activity in areas that regulate fear and stress. Marusak explained the next step.

“If this first phase is successful, then we would bring that into a larger clinical trial to see if it actually affects anxiety outcomes. So seeing if there’s a clinical response associated with it.”

In animal studies, CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain, which is why it’s also being studied for arthritis and injury recovery.

Marusak says the goal is to see if adding CBD to therapy gives patients better results than therapy alone. She’s hoping the findings could one day shape new treatment options for severe anxiety.