Alzheimer’s and Cannabis: A Study, Interrupted
A team of scientists from the Salk Institute in La Jolla recently released a study supported by the National Institutes of Health, that says cannabis, more specifically its active ingredient THC, has the potential to ward off Alzheimer’s Disease. The study’s senior author, Dr. Dave Schubert, says that while other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids may be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, he believes that this study is the first to actually demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells.
During lab experiments, the team exposed human brain cells to THC, and found that by stimulating cannabinoid receptors in those cells, the THC reduced inflammation and plaque build-up that precedes the onset of the disease. Dr. Schubert openly worried that follow up studies needed to confirm his findings may not happen because of excessive restrictions on research that involves cannabis. His hopes that the DEA would reclassify cannabis were dashed on August 11, when it was announced that the plant would remain alongside heroin and bath salts, as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that the agency believes it has no currently acceptable medical treatment, and has a high potential for abuse. The news was a devastating blow to the study, basically rendering it at a standstill because of regulatory hurdles involved in obtaining the large quantities of THC that are needed for use in living organisms. Doctors from all fields are growing increasingly agitated by the DEA’s refusal to accept the medical applications of cannabis, and allow them to simply do their life saving work.
“Cannabis is currently being used to help Alzheimer’s patients have less agitation, better sleep and improved appetite. Usually low dose THC-rich strains are sufficient for these goals.”
Dr. Bonni Goldstein, former Chief Resident at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and current medical director of Canna-Centers shared her frustration with CULTURE, saying, “It’s simply ridiculous that the DEA, despite thousands of peer-reviewed studies showing a myriad of medicinal uses and excellent safety profile of cannabis, continues to keep cannabis as a Schedule I drug.” She went on to explain that “cannabis is currently being used to help Alzheimer’s patients have less agitation, better sleep and improved appetite. Usually low dose THC-rich strains are sufficient for these goals. There is not enough evidence yet that proves that cannabinoid compounds are able to prevent the brain changes that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, however researchers have proven that cannabinoids are neuro-protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.” Echoing Dr. Schubert’s sentiments, she says “further research may find that Alzheimer’s can be prevented or possibly progression of disease may be delayed with cannabis use.”
It is estimated that 5.4 million Americans, including up to 200,000 under the age of 65, suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, a progressive brain disorder that leads to memory loss and severely impairs a person’s ability to perform even small daily tasks. Nearly two thirds of those affected are women. It is the most common cause of dementia and its number of victims is expected to triple over the next fifty years if a treatment is not found. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, among the top ten causes of death in the United States, the disease is the only one that cannot be prevented, cured, or even slowed. These facts make the Salk Institutes study even more urgent, and the DEA’s decision all the more damaging.
