New Study: Marijuana Ineffective as an Alzheimer’s Treatment

In previous studies claiming that marijuana benefits included reducing or reversing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease are now challenged in a study at the University of British Colombia and Vancouver Costal Health Research Institute. These previous studies, using animal models and a synthetic form of marijuana, showed a reduced toxicity of plaques and even the promotion the growth of new neurons.  However new findings, published in the journal Current Alzheimer Research, could lower the expectations of medicinal marijuana use for memory impairment treatments.

Led by Dr. Weihong Song, Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer’s disease and professor of psychiatry in the UBC Faculty of Medicine was the first to test the findings using mice carrying the genetic mutation that causes Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Song comments “As scientists, we begin every study hoping to be able to confirm beneficial effects of potential therapies, and we hoped to confirm this for the use of medical marijuana in treating Alzheimer’s disease but we didn’t see any benefit at all. Instead, our study pointed to some detrimental effects. “

During the study mice were given varying doses of HU210, also called cannabinoids, which is 100 to 800 times stronger than the marijuana compounds. Mice treated with HU210 did no better than untreated mice; not surprisingly mice given the highest doses had fewer brain cells.  Dr. Song concludes, “More studies should be done before we place much hope in marijuana’s benefits for Alzheimer’s patients.”

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