In a groundbreaking study published by the journal Neurodegenerative Disease Management, researchers from Australia have shed light on the potential of medicinal cannabis in managing neurodegenerative disorders.
A digital model of a neurodegenerative disorder (photo credit: wsu.edu).
“Currently, there exist no curative treatments for neurodegenerative disorders”, states the study. “Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the use of medicinal cannabis to improve neurological conditions.”
Neurodegenerative disorders encompass conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease.
“A 12-month, open label, dose-finding, safety and efficacy study was conducted including 48 subjects with a variety of neurodegenerative disorders”, notes the study’s abstract. “In our participants, we observed a reduction in pain, improved sleep, enhanced well-being and less agitation.
Researchers state that their findings “suggest that medicinal cannabis might be useful in patients with neurodegenerative disorders in controlling pain, enhancing sleep, reducing difficult behaviors, controlling unusual and complex symptoms when other treatments have failed – this offers medicinal cannabis a role in palliation.”
The study was conducted by researchers at Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Pty Ltd and The University of Western Australia. You can find more information on the study by clicking here, and you can find the full abstract below:
Aim: Currently, there exist no curative treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the use of medicinal cannabis to improve neurological conditions.
Methods: A 12-month, open label, dose-finding, safety and efficacy study was conducted including 48 subjects with a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.
Results: In our participants, we observed a reduction in pain, improved sleep, enhanced well-being and less agitation.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that medicinal cannabis might be useful in patients with neurodegenerative disorders in controlling pain, enhancing sleep, reducing difficult behaviors, controlling unusual and complex symptoms when other treatments have failed – this offers medicinal cannabis a role in palliation.
A separate study published earlier this month in the Journal of Neurotrauma found that CBD alleviates neurological deficits following traumatic brain injury.
