Cannabis can counter Alzheimer's Disease: New Study

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/groundbreaking-study-shows-cannabis-can-counter-alzheimers-disease?akid=14411.294211.oLI_1j&rd=1&src=newsletter1059629&t=30

About 5.4 million Americans now live with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to rise to 13.8 million by 2050 if no prevention or cure is developed. Fortunately, medical research is beginning to understand the mechanisms of the disease, which is paving the way for treatments.

Among the most promising is the use of medical cannabis. In January we reported on a clinical study by Israeli researchers which showed that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the main active ingredient in cannabis—caused a “significant reduction” in mental illness severity, particularly with regard to irritability, aggression/agitation, delusions and insomnia.

A new study carried out by the Salk Institute is providing insight into the way medical cannabis actually counters the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Salk Institute scientists have found preliminary evidence that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other compounds found in marijuana can promote the cellular removal of amyloid beta, a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

While these exploratory studies were conducted in neurons grown in the laboratory, they may offer insight into the role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease and could provide clues to developing novel therapeutics for the disorder.

“Although other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids might be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, we believe our study is the first to demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells,” says Salk Professor David Schubert, the senior author of the paper.”