Cannabis, Alzheimer’s and dementia By Jessica Edwards Herbalist correspondent All humans eventually face the reality that their lives will end. For those of us who have been afflicted with or affected by Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the end can be brutal, for caregivers and patients alike. With an eye toward hope, researchers now are finding that cannabis might hold the key to unlocking an effective treatment for — and possibly the prevention of — diseases of the brain that come for many with old age. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder, getting worse over time. It leads to memory loss and can impair a person’s ability to manage daily tasks; simple thoughts, such as “socks go on feet,” are lost in people in the advanced stages of the illness. The disease affects more than five million Americans and is a leading cause of death,
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according to the National Institute of Health; it is also the most common cause of dementia. The institute defines dementia as the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering and reasoning — and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life. The most promising area of the research is in treating the agitation and aggression present in many people living with these brain diseases, as seen in studies in the United States and Israel, in particular. There also have been studies done using genetically modified, or transgenic, mice. Scientists have added human genes to the mice to better understand the mechanics of the diseases and medications that treat them. Israel is leading the charge in this new area of research with numerous studies examining the potential link between medical cannabis oil and improved treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
Summer 2019
