A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that patients suffering from dementia demonstrated cognitive improvements following long-term use of low-dose cannabinoid extracts. The findings suggest that sustained cannabis use may be a potentially effective treatment for dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The researchers compared the efficacy of low-dose medical cannabis extracts to placebo effects. The study included 28 patients with AD-associated dementia between the ages of 60 and 80. The participants ingested either a placebo or an extract featuring a blend of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (0.350 mg/THC and 0.245 mg/CBD) daily. The research team assessed the participants’ cognitive performance at baseline and at 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks.
Participants who received the placebo demonstrated an overall decrease in cognitive performance, but participants who consumed the cannabis extract experienced stabilization and reduced cognitive loss over the 6-month follow-up period. Mini-Mental State Exam total score was significantly higher for those who used the extract.
The researchers did not observe any significant differences in terms of adverse events between the participants given the placebo and those who used the cannabis extract.
Although participants who consumed cannabis exhibited positive changes in their cognitive scores, they did not demonstrate similar improvements in secondary outcomes such as sleep quality. The researchers believe that this finding suggests cognitive improvements are a direct result of cannabis treatment rather than an indirect result of other quality of life improvements.
The researchers described cannabis’ efficacy as superior compared to traditional Alzheimer’s pharmaceutical therapies. The study is the longest to date focusing on cannabinoid efficacy for patients with AD-associated dementia, so the findings can inform the design of future longitudinal studies on cannabis efficacy and safety for neurodegenerative diseases.
Sources: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, NORML
