2025 online publication and 2026 journal issue | United States | Randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
Trauner D et al. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Published online May 24, 2025;56:4362-4375, 2026.
Methods: Boys aged 7 to 14 received eight weeks of purified CBD and eight weeks of placebo, separated by a four-week washout. Forty-four were randomized, 39 received study treatment and entered analyses, and 30 completed the full protocol.
Findings: The principal behavior scales did not show clear superiority of CBD over placebo. Clinician impressions suggested improvement in some participants, but the study also observed a substantial placebo response.
Limitations: The small sample, incomplete participation, restriction to boys, and possible medication interactions constrain generalizability. Clinician impressions should not be substituted for the trial’s primary outcome results.