Alzheimer's Disease

We flash foward to 2006 to learn from Robert Melamede, PhD, Biology Professor at the University of Colorado, exactly what marijuana does for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and other degenerative nerve diseases, like Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder of unknown origin that is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and learned behavior. Patients with Alzheimer’s are also likely to experience depression, agitation, and appetite loss, among other symptoms. Over 4.5 million Americans are estimated to be afflicted with the disease. No approved treatments or medications are available to stop the progression of AD, and few pharmaceuticals have been FDA-approved to treat symptoms of the disease.

A review of the recent scientific literature indicates that cannabinoid therapy may provide symptomatic relief to patients afflicted with AD while also moderating the progression of the disease.

Support NORML!

Source: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7003

New Spanish and Israeli research shows that a synthetic analogue of the active component of marijuana can reduce the inflammation and prevent the mental decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. Although it was conducted on human brain tissue in the lab and in a rat model -- but not in living humans -- the research is regarded as a major step not only in understanding how the brain reacts to Alzheimer's disease, but also in helping to develop novel drugs for Alzheimer's and even Parkinson's disease.