The results of a Brazilian study evaluating low-dose THC/CBD cannabinoid extraction in treating patients with Alzheimer’s Disease-associated dementia have been promising.
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative neurodegenerative condition that impacts millions of people worldwide. And as our lives get longer, those numbers are only going to increase. Alzheimer’s Disease is characterized by cognitive impairments that are not related to memory.
Researchers from Brazil’s Federal University for Latin American Integration conducted a phase 2 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial based on evidence that low-dose cannabis could reduce AD symptoms.
This trial included patients aged 60 to 80 diagnosed with AD. Participants orally received either placebo or THC-CBD extract (0.350 mg/THC and 0.245 mg/CBD), daily — very low doses — for six months.
Results: The Mini-Mental State Exam score of patients who received the extract was higher than that of placebo-treated individuals. In terms of adverse effects and secondary outcomes, there was no difference in the cannabis and placebo groups.
Researchers state that:
The study is one of the largest clinical trials to date evaluating cannabinoids on AD patients. Our initial results show that THC and CBD in low doses can potentially be a safe and effective therapeutic option to treat AD-related dementia. “However, it will take larger trials and longer durations to establish this as a therapy for AD-related dementia.”
Results and details of the trial have been published In the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and is the first publication to look at the effect of marijuana extract microdoses in human AD pathology.
Paul Armentano, NORML’s Deputy Director, commented on the results. said:
The fact that patients who used cannabis showed improvements in cognitive tests but not in secondary outcomes such as improved sleep suggests these improvements were a direct outcome of cannabis use rather than a result of quality-of-life improvements.
A study conducted last year found that THC synthesis showed promise in reducing the agitation of Alzheimer’s disease patients. AD patients are prone to agitation. This can include pacing, repetitive movements or verbal/physical aggressiveness.