Ptsd-related Nightmares in More Than a Third of Patients After Ten Weeks, According to a Study Published in Nature Medicine by Researchers

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved more than 170 participants with PTSD and frequent severe nightmares, who took either Dronabinol drops or a placebo each evening. Nightmare severity dropped by an average of 3.7 points on an eight-point scale in the Dronabinol group, compared with 2.2 points in the placebo group. More than half of participants responded to treatment, and about five out of six in the Dronabinol group reported marked health improvement.

No severe side effects or signs of dependence emerged. The drug appeared to target nightmares and sleep specifically, without conclusively reducing overall PTSD severity or depression. Germany has not yet approved a medication specifically for trauma-related nightmares. There is evidence suggesting that during REM sleep -- the intense dream phases in which the brain processes experiences and regulates emotions -- THC reduces dream activity and thereby alleviates nocturnal stress responses.