Association Between Cannabis Use and Subjective Cognitive Decline
April, 2024
Recreational cannabis use may be associated with a significant decrease in the odds of experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in adults over 45. Analysing data from the US CDC’s 2021 Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, researchers found that recreational users had 96% lower odds of reporting SCD compared to non-users.
This intriguing finding suggests potential protective effects of cannabis on cognition, although the study’s authors emphasise the need for longitudinal research to understand the long-term impacts. Despite its limitations, the study contributes to the evolving conversation around cannabis use and cognitive health, highlighting the importance of differentiating between medical and recreational use in research.
Public Health and Preventative Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Depression: A Naturalistic Outpatient Study
11 January, 2024
Patients were 20–54 years old; 72.9% were male; one third reported times of regular cannabis consumption within the previous five years. Mean severity of depression decreased from 6.9 points at entry to 3.8 points at week 18. A treatment response (>50% reduction of the initial score) was seen in 50.8% at week 18. One third of patients complained about side effects, none was considered severe. Medical cannabis was well tolerated and dropout rate was comparable to those in clinical trials of anti-depressant medication. Patients reported a clinically significant reduction of depression severity.
University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen; Algea Care GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany and The University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Clinical outcome data of anxiety patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products in the United Kingdom: a cohort study from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry
August, 2023
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) treated with dried flower, oil-based preparations, or a combination of both cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs).
Improvements in anxiety, sleep quality and quality of life were observed at each time point. Patients receiving CBMPs had improvements in GAD-7 at all time points (1 month, 3 months, 6 months). Prescription of CBMPs in those with GAD is associated with clinically significant improvements in anxiety with an acceptable safety profile in a real-world setting.
Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group, Imperial College London; Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London and others including St George's Hospital NHS Trust, and Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, United Kingdom.
Implications of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic action of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A literature review
November, 2022
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, onset in early childhood, associated with cognitive, social, behavioural and sensory impairments. It is believed genetic and environmental factors are capable of influencing ASD, especially cell signalling and microglial functions. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) participates in modulation of various brain processes and is involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of this condition.
Due to the health and quality of life impacts of autism for the patient and his/her family and the lack of effective medications, the literature has elucidated the possibility, Cannabis phytocannabinoids act favourably on ASD symptoms, probably through the modulation of neurotransmitters, in addition to endogenous ligands derived from arachidonic acid, metabolising enzymes and even transporters of the membrane.
These findings support the notion that there are links between key features of ASD and the ECS due to the favourable actions of cannabinoids on symptoms related to behavioural and cognitive disorders, as well as deficits in communication and social interaction, hyperactivity, anxiety and sleep disorders. Thus, phytocannabinoids emerge as therapeutic alternatives for ASD.
Imperial Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Cannabinol (CBN) inhibits oxytosis/ferroptosis by directly targeting mitochondria independently of cannabinoid receptors
6 January, 2022
Study by Salk scientists shows how CBN can protect nerve cells from oxidative damage, a major pathway to cell death. The findings suggest CBN has the potential for treating age-related neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s.
“We’ve found that cannabinol protects neurons from oxidative stress and cell death, two of the major contributors to Alzheimer’s” says a senior author, research professor and head of Salk’s Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory. “This discovery could one day lead to the development of new therapeutics for treating this disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson’s disease”.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA.
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