As the baby boom generation begins to reach age 65 and beyond, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is escalating rapidly. This debilitating condition causes deterioration of thinking skills and memory, leading to the inability to recognize loved ones or carry out basic tasks. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.
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.”
Amyloid beta accumulations within nerve cells of the brain are a major component of plaque deposits, which are the signature of Alzheimer’s disease. Although much is still unknown about how this process develops, the application of THC and related compounds appears to protect the nerve cells from dying.
Again, we see the miraculous potential of cannabis to treat ailments through its anti-inflammatory properties, by stimulating the body’s endocannabinoid system. Inflammation is believed to be the cause of many diseases.
“Inflammation within the brain is a major component of the damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but it has always been assumed that this response was coming from immune-like cells in the brain, not the nerve cells themselves,” says Antonio Currais, a postdoctoral researcher in Schubert’s laboratory and first author of the paper. “When we were able to identify the molecular basis of the inflammatory response to amyloid beta, it became clear that THC-like compounds that the nerve cells make themselves may be involved in protecting the cells from dying.”
Subsequent experimentation showed that the application of THC “reduced amyloid beta protein levels and eliminated the inflammatory response from the nerve cells caused by the protein, thereby allowing the nerve cells to survive.”
This promising treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is yet another way that the miraculous cannabis plant provides medical benefits to a host of human ailments. It is past time for governments to give up their senseless, immoral prohibition of cannabis so the remaining barriers to medical research can be cleared.
#1: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
"Groundbreaking Study Shows Cannabinoids -- Isolated, Purified, and Concentrated -- Found in Cannabis Can Affect Neurons in a Petri Dish."
Fixed it.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-06 08:57:30 Reply Private Reply
#2: Deckard To: misterwhite (#1)
Attaboy!
So, you think the research is bullshit.
I expected no less from a cretin like you.
Deckard posted on 2016-07-06 09:06:41 Reply Private Reply
#3: misterwhite To: Deckard (#2)
Nope. I said the headline was bullshit.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-06 09:14:41 Reply Private Reply
#4: U don't know me To: Deckard (#2)
Give up, he surely has stock in big pharma. We sure don't want to help sick people if it causes big pharma losses on the stock market.
U don't know me posted on 2016-07-06 20:58:29 Reply Private Reply
#5: ConservingFreedom To: misterwhite (#1)
Read it slowly ... move your lips if it helps: '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.'
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-06 22:00:22 Reply Private Reply
#6: GrandIsland To: ConservingFreedom (#5)
GrandIsland posted on 2016-07-06 22:09:58 Reply Private Reply
#7: Gatlin To: misterwhite (#3)
Researchers have shown that a misleading headline can do damage despite genuine attempts to accurately comprehend an article. The research was led by psychologist Ullrich K. H. Ecker of the University of Western Australia, conclude in a new paper in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.
Gatlin posted on 2016-07-06 22:45:56 Reply Private Reply
#8: redleghunter To: Deckard (#0)
redleghunter posted on 2016-07-07 00:11:36 Reply Private Reply
#9: redleghunter To: ConservingFreedom (#5)
In other words stoned.
redleghunter posted on 2016-07-07 00:14:05 Reply Private Reply
#10: misterwhite To: ConservingFreedom (#5)
Fine. My guess is Tylenol will do the same. Or heroin.
Now, what about THC's effect on Alzheimer’s Disease?
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-07 09:22:08 Reply Private Reply
#11: A Pole To: misterwhite (#1)
All research results that contradict you views are false. Feeling better?
A Pole posted on 2016-07-07 09:54:33 Reply Private Reply
#12: misterwhite To: A Pole (#11)
This article was meant to mislead, not inform.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-07 10:02:06 Reply Private Reply
#13: A Pole To: misterwhite (#12)
A Pole posted on 2016-07-07 10:09:27 Reply Private Reply
#14: Deckard To: A Pole (#11)
That statement pretty much describes the canary clan here - they still believe the "Reefer Madness" propaganda from 80 years ago.
If it were up to them, there would be no medical research that involves cannabis.
Deckard posted on 2016-07-07 10:10:52 Reply Private Reply
#15: misterwhite To: A Pole (#13)
You got that right.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-07 10:27:34 Reply Private Reply
#16: ConservingFreedom To: GrandIsland (#6)
Did you think of that all by yourself, or was it a group effort from the senile dementia ward?
BTW, I don't use pot ... but you should lay off the bottom-shelf vodka.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-07 11:47:54 Reply Private Reply
#17: ConservingFreedom To: misterwhite (#10)
Putting one's own guess up against a clinical study is textbook megalomania. Bad news, whitey - you're not Napoleon or Jesus either.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-07 11:51:36 Reply Private Reply
#18: ConservingFreedom To: redleghunter (#9)
Wrong, "relieving behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). [...] Significant reduction in CGI severity score (6.5 to 5.7; p < 0.01) and NPI [Neuropsychiatric Inventory] score were recorded (44.4 to 12.8; p < 0.01). NPI domains of significant decrease were: Delusions, agitation/aggression, irritability, apathy, sleep and caregiver distress." J Alzheimers Dis. 2016 Jan 12;51(1):15-9. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150915; Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat-Yam, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel- Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-07 11:58:53 Reply Private Reply
#19: misterwhite To: ConservingFreedom (#17)
I did no such thing. I guessed that Tylenol or heroin would have the same e effect.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-07 12:52:33 Reply Private Reply
#20: ConservingFreedom To: misterwhite (#19)
Now guess whether your guesses mean shit.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-07-07 13:23:46 Reply Private Reply
#21: A Pole To: ConservingFreedom, misterwhite (#19)
Mr White does not guess, he knows, asserts and issues the ruling. Case closed!
A Pole posted on 2016-07-08 03:36:28 Reply Private Reply
#22: misterwhite To: A Pole (#21)
Fuckin' A!
But I do retract my statements when you point out my errors. And you'll note that has never happened. Nor will it.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-08 09:11:47 Reply Private Reply
#23: VxH To: misterwhite (#22)
That was entertaining.
VxH posted on 2016-07-08 10:35:28 Reply Private Reply
#24: misterwhite To: VxH (#23)
Ah. One of my better phrases.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-08 10:51:34 Reply Private Reply
#25: VxH To: misterwhite (#24)
Just because your creative front yard gardening skills suck, doesn't mean everybody else's do.
VxH posted on 2016-07-08 10:57:36 Reply Private Reply
#26: misterwhite To: VxH (#25)
We have a 30' X 30' garden with flowers and vegetables and it's beautiful. In the back yard.
misterwhite posted on 2016-07-08 11:04:46 Reply Private Reply
#27: VxH To: misterwhite (#26)
Like I said, not everybody's front yard gardening skills suck.
That would include skills like - the ability to apply logic and reason to recognize the right of private property owners to grow food in their front yards.
Like these "ghetto farmers" are doing:
Fat boys fat boys. What you gonna do - when the King don't got some bread for you!?
VxH posted on 2016-07-08 11:37:11 Reply Private Reply