"Prescription of a THC/CBD-Based Medication to Patients with Dementia: A Pilot Study in Geneva"

Dementia is characterized by a deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior, and autonomy in daily life activities. 

According to the World Health Organization, there were around 50 million persons worldwide suffering from dementia and this number is increasing with the global aging of the population in most countries. 

Currently, the options for treating BPSD (Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia) include pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. Psychotropic medications are often used to reduce the frequency and severity of BPSD, but in the majority of patients, they provide only modest symptom control and important side effects.

The interest of cannabinoids in Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia has increased first as neuroprotective drugs in animal studies. Indeed, some studies suggest a potential beneficial effect of CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists on reducing harmful β-amyloid peptide action and tau phosphorylation seen in Alzhei­mer disease as well as increasing intrinsic brain repair mechanisms.

"Cannabis & Alzheimer's Desease"

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder of unknown origin that is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and learned behavior. For both patients and their loved ones, Alzheimer’s Disease ranks among the most challenging conditions one can experience.

This chronic neurodegenerative disorder leads to progressive symptoms including dementia, memory loss, emotional issues, and speech problems, among others. Few treatments exist and available therapies only address some symptoms, but not the progression of the disease itself.

The search for new therapeutic options has led to significant interest in cannabis-based treatments and researchers are currently working to advance our understanding of the possible roles medical cannabis could play in the future of Alzheimer’s treatment.

Preclinical data shows the potential of cannabinoids to moderate the progression of AD while clinical data demonstrates that these compounds can provide symptom relief, but lets take a look in what 10 studies says about it...

"CBD Improves Blood Flow to Brain’s Hippocampus"

Cannabidiol (CBD) increases cerebral blood flow to areas of the brain associated with memory processing, specifically the hippocampus. The findings identify a potential mechanism for the use of CBD to treat disorders associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, PTSD, and schizophrenia.

A single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) helped increase blood flow to the hippocampus, an important area of the brain associated with memory and emotion, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

Researchers say the findings could be an important discovery for conditions which affect memory, such as Alzheimer’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and could help better target therapies.

In the study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, researchers set out to investigate how CBD influences cerebral blood flow in different regions on the brain involved in memory processing.

Lead author, Dr Michael Bloomfield (UCL Psychiatry) said: “Cannabidiol is one of the main constituents of cannabis and is gaining interest for its therapeutic potential.

"Using CBD to Treat the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s & Other Forms of Dementia"

Worldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. 

Dementia its an overall term that describes a group of symptoms.

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia.

The dementia-related conditions that can be helped by CBD include: Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia and Huntington’s disease.

According to researchers at California’s Salk Institute, their 2017 study has found evidence that cannabinoids such as CBD could help remove dementia from, and increase connections between, brain cells. Those results were validated by other laboratories. 

There are three ways CBD can work to improve health outcomes for persons with dementia: by reducing inflammation, by reducing oxygen buildup, and by working as a brain stimulant and neuroprotectant. From a user’s perspective, CBD may reduce stress and anxiety in the individual with dementia as well as reduce the decline of memory and other brain functions.

"Can CBD help With Neuroinflammation"

Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory condition of the brain, in which glial cells,namely,astrocytes 
and microglia,the resident macrophages of the brain, are involved along with blood-borne cells. 

Although in the past glial activation in neuroinflammation has been considered detrimental to the brain in general, currently the reparative/ protective aspects are being recognized. 

Cannabinoids, whether plant derived or endogenous  affect different glial functions. 

Importantly, glial cells are endowed with several, if not all, of the elements of the endocannabinoid system, and therefore are sensitive to cannabinoids and at the same time are a source of endocannabinoids. 

There appears to be general agreement that cannabinoids reduce the synthesis, production, and release of cytotoxic molecules such as proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide. 

On the other hand, these agents modify microglial cell migration in such a way that the result is usually beneficial in resolving neuroinflammation or limiting ensuing neurodegeneration.

"Evidence for Therapeutic Properties of CBD/THC in Alzheimer's Disease"

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by cognitive decline.

It is the most common form of dementia,accounting for over 60% of cases and affecting over 33 million people worldwide.


Unfortunately the current approved AD treatments only provide limited therapeutic benefits.

There are four approved drugs available, but unfortunately, all of them have been associated with adverse effects. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss, while memantine is known to cause hallucinations, dizziness and fatigue.Furthermore, none of these treatments prevent or reverse the progression of the disease but rather they treat the disease symptoms with limited efficacy

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is investigated as a potential multifunctional treatment option for AD.

Here, we summarize the current status quo of effects of CBD in established pharmacological and transgenic animal models for AD.The phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) is a prime candidate for this new treatment strategy.

The in vivo therapeutic potential of CBD in AD has not been widely documented, however, there are a number of studies that have reported the effect of CBD in pharmacological models of AD. These studies have described anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of CBD.

"3 Cannabinoids In Clinical Practice"

Acording to the study,"Cannabis has a potential for clinical use often obscured by unreliable and purely anecdotal reports".

The most important natural cannabinoid is the psychoactive Tetrahydrocannabinol (A 9 -THC),Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG). Not all the observed effects can be ascribed to THC, and the other constituents may also modulate its action. For example CBD reduces anxiety induced by THC. A standardised extract of the herb may be therefore be more beneficial in practice and clinical trial protocols have been drawn up to assess this. 

The mechanism of action is still not fully understood, although can- nabinoid receptors have been cloned and natural ligands identified. 

Medical Marijuana Alzheimer, CNN Int. 11 Mar 2008