Marijuana may block Alzheimer's
 

The active ingredient in marijuana may stall decline from Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.

Scientists showed a synthetic version of the compound may reduce inflammation associated with Alzheimer's and thus help to prevent mental decline.

They hope the cannabinoid may be used to developed new drug therapies.

The research, by Madrid's Complutense University and the Cajal Institute, is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.


We would warn the public against taking marijuana as a way of preventing Alzheimer's
Dr Susanne Sorensen
The scientists first compared the brain tissue of patients who died from Alzheimer's disease with that of healthy people who had died at a similar age.

They looked closely at brain cell receptors to which cannabinoids bind, allowing their effects to be felt.

They also studied structures called microglia, which activate the brain's immune response.

Microglia collect near the plaque deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease and, when active, cause inflammation.

The researchers found a dramatically reduced functioning of cannabinoid receptors in diseased brain tissue.

This was an indication that patients had lost the capacity to experience cannabinoids' protective effects.

The next step was to test the effect of cannabinoids on rats injected with the amyloid protein that forms Alzheimer's plaques.

Those animals who were also given a dose of a cannabinoid performed much better in tests of their mental functioning.

The researchers found that the presence of amyloid protein in the rats' brains activated immune cells.

However, rats that also received the cannabinoid showed no sign of microglia activation.

Using cell cultures, the researchers confirmed that cannabinoids counteracted the activation of microglia and thus reduced inflammation.

Drug target

Researcher Dr Maria de Ceballos said: "These findings that cannabinoids work both to prevent inflammation and to protect the brain may set the stage for their use as a therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease."

Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This is important research because it provides another piece of the jigsaw puzzle on the workings of the brain.

"There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, so the identification of another target for drug development is extremely welcome.

"The Alzheimer's Society looks forward to seeing further research being carried out on cannabinoid receptors as drug targets for Alzheimer's disease but would warn the public against taking marijuana as a way of preventing Alzheimer's.

"It is now generally recognised that as well as providing a 'high', long-term use of marijuana can also lead to depression in many individuals."

Different receptors

Harriet Millward, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said there were two main types of cannabinoid receptor, CR1 and CR2.

"It is CR1 that produces most of the effects of marijuana, including the harmful ones.

"If it is possible to make drugs that act only on CR2, as suggested by the authors of this study, they might mimic the positive effects of cannabinoids without the damaging ones of marijuana.

"However, this is a fairly new field of research and producing such selective drugs is not an easy task.

"There is also no evidence yet that cannabinoid-based drugs can slow the decline in human Alzheimer's patients."

R O F L are you serious!!!!!!!!!!???

TIME TO SMOKE UP!


AGAIN!!


:pimp :pimp :pimp

Time to roll one up...hmmm ...didn't I just smoke one? :helpme

Smoke till you CHoke!

I can see it know all the old guys in the nursing home lighting one up in their blinged out wheel chairs..

No way, thats crazy!

damn, what can't it do :Graucho

So much for all those claims that cannabis makes one forgetful ...

Way things are going, cannabis could soon be covered by medical insurance ... and not too long after that there will be TV ads promoting it - seems crazy, but then the idea of condom and ED commercials in the U.S. back in say 1980 was unimaginable too - in a nutshell it's only a matter of time before cannabis becomes more legally available to all; same happened to gambling - at one time was highly regulated and now it seems most every state is building casinos and heavily promoting them - in my home state, Pennsylvania, they legalized slot casinos to help pay for education - now isn't that ironic ... was a time not that long ago in which gambling was very taboo and certainly not a subject one would bring up in regards to education.

Digressed a bit there ... point is times are achanging and it's only a matter of time now before cannabis is widely available - it has too many benefits to ignore any longer - and the public at-large is increasing demanding open access ... cannabis for all!

Ron

:1orglaugh

:pimp :pimp :pimp

well, well, well. i should be immune to alzheimer and glaucoma by now.

Let's smoke some more. :thumbsup

Not under the current administration. Even if it was discovered that marijuana cures cancer they would dismiss it.

That's what I will tell my wife if she gets pissy with me.

ditto ;]

what was this thread about again?

I'm in love with Mary Jane

maybe thats why i forgot my shoes in jamaica


Duke

lol;)))))

smoke 'em if ya got 'em

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

I have never suffered from Alzheimers while under the influence of marijuana. There's proof right there.

I can't remember where I put my sunglasses most of the time when I am stoned and this is going to help with my Alzheimers?

LOL

lighting one up as i type. wait that aint possible.

northern lights.. ahhh the taste of success.

it also speeds up the metabolism like crazy

So I couldn't remember if I responded to this thread or not, but I'm safe from Alzheimer's????

Sweet

Wow, this guy really does just post headlines.

^---------------

they are just hunting for a way to make it legal

i need to start smoking more weed then

I have given you All the seed baring plants you could use. use, use, use...

Dr Green Thumb

:thumbsup

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5754352507

mmmm maybe I should keep this domain