Study: High-Dose CBD May Protect the Brain After Repeated Concussions by Reducing Stress and Cell Death

Researchers from Shuozhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital used a rat model of repeated mild traumatic brain injury, or multiple concussions (MCC), to examine the effects of both low and high doses of CBD (10 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, respectively). Over a two-week period, the researchers assessed changes in brain tissue related to ER stress and apoptosis, or programmed cell death—two biological processes strongly linked to brain injury. Compared to sham-treated rats, those with repeated concussions showed significantly elevated levels of markers associated with ER stress and apoptosis, including PERK, eIF2α, ATF4, CHOP, TRIB3, and pro-caspase-3. However, treatment with CBD, especially at the higher dose, resulted in a marked reduction in these stress-related markers, while simultaneously increasing levels of p-Akt, a protein associated with cell survival.

Using network pharmacology and molecular docking, the researchers found that CBD exhibited strong binding affinity to multiple key proteins involved in ER stress and neuronal apoptosis, suggesting direct interaction with the pathways that contribute to concussion-related brain damage.

The authors conclude that high-dose CBD may offer neuroprotective benefits in cases of repeated head trauma by modulating key biological pathways associated with stress and cell death in the brain.