WWU’s Josh Kaplan receives $400,000 NIH grant to research cannabis-based treatments for autism, epilepsy

Western Washington University Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience Josh Kaplan has received a new $400,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his research into cannabis-based therapeutic treatments for various diseases or genetic disorders that impact brain function, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and pediatric epilepsy. 

Kaplan’s research omits tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – and uses combinations of two of the remaining compounds, cannabidiol (CBD) and terpenes, the oils which make cannabis smell and taste differently from other plants.   

Kaplan’s research taps into growing interest in cannabis-based therapies for autism and epilepsy.

“What we are doing in this lab is testing the hypothesis that particular combinations of CBD and terpenes can best target the changes to the brain affected by autism and epilepsy, and see how the combinations impact brain signaling, communication patterns, social behavior, anxiety, and more,” Kaplan said. “We know CBD can be impactful, but the combinations of the two are largely unexplored.” 

Kaplan said genetic disorders like autism and diseases like epilepsy can be caused by “brain deficits in inhibition,” or adverse changes which he seeks to remedy therapeutically using the compounds being tested in his lab. 

“A lot of these deficits we see in disorders like autism don’t have great treatment outcomes with traditional medicines, which is where we come in,” he said. 

Kaplan uses mice to test the efficacy of his lab’s therapeutic compounds, using behavioral models to see how or if they promote social interaction and lower inhibition and anxiety, for example. 

“Behaviorally, we do see a change,” he said. “We watch our mice – which are bred to be an analog to certain human conditions such as autism – to see how they react and interact. The treatments containing both CBD and terpenes seem to work best, which we call the ‘entourage effect.’ The combination makes them more reliable. We’re particularly excited because we’re starting to see changes in the brain that are consistent with symptom improvement.” 

Kaplan said his research has gotten valuable support and assistance from Western’s Scientific Technical Services staff, especially around using mass spectrometry to produce 2-dimensional images of brain tissue. 

Sirena Kesser, a mass spectrometry research associate in SciTech, said working with Kaplan and his students has been, in her words, “a blast.” 

“Scitech has received a lot of new instrumentation in the last few years, and because of our new capabilities we have started working with even more research groups. Given that my background is far more chemistry-based, collaborating with Dr. Kaplan's lab to come up with ways to produce these images was not ever something I thought we would be working on," she said. “But after multiple students taking on different parts of the project, we have made some pretty significant strides.”   

Learning on the job 

Kaplan said one of the aspects of the new grant he is most excited about is the inclusion of funds dedicated to paying wages for undergraduate researchers. 

“If you’re an undergraduate who aspires to continue their education in graduate school or medical school, getting experience in a research lab is so important,” he said. “And many students don’t have the financial stability to work in a lab without pay, work their off-campus job, AND take a full courseload. This will allow these students not to have to choose between the experience they need and the ability to pay their bills, which is huge.” 

Kaplan said students are involved in every level of the research in his lab, and provide valuable feedback and input in the process. 

“Our seniors train our new students when they come to work in the lab, and then those students end up training the next set of newcomers,” he said. 

Redmond native and WWU alumna Gabi Quinn, who majored in behavioral neuroscience at Western and who just graduated in December, said the experience she has garnered in Kaplan’s lab has helped her plan for her next steps in graduate school, where she hopes to get a doctorate in neuroscience. 

“I want to be a principal investigator in my own lab someday, much like Dr. Kaplan,” Quinn said. “Working in his lab has given me a stronger understanding of the research process, which is something that graduate programs love to see.” 

Karleigh Potter, a behavioral neuroscience student from Battle Ground, said it was rewarding to build on the research already done in the Kaplan Lab because the work will one day contribute to better medicines for patients with a variety of disorders. 

“Because CBD and terpenes are non-intoxicating, the results of our research can be used to inform application of CBD to alleviate some symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and adolescents” Potter said. “The results of other research in our lab could provide an alternative route for treatment of chronic pain.” 

Nick Schneider, a neuroscience major from Bellingham, agreed with his fellow students on how important finding new treatments are for these diseases. 

“I would say that our research aims to fill a major void in pharmacological treatments,” he said. “Working in this lab has given me an appreciation for pioneering new ideas. Between working in his lab and networking with other students, I now feel fully prepared to move forward in the field of neuroscience research. Dr. Kaplan has cultivated a very welcoming and engaging environment in his lab, and his commitment to providing opportunities to all of us has personally inspired me to do the same for others in the future.” 

For more information on Kaplan’s new grant or his research, go the lab’s website, here, or contact Kaplan at kaplanj4@wwu.edu. Find out more information on Western’s Behavioral Neuroscience Program at https://www.wwu.edu/majors/behavioral-neuroscience.