Alzheimer’s Disease
Medical Marijuana for The Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
You may have noticed your grandparents or your elderly neighbors forgetting your name multiple times or asking you the same thing over and over. It may be simple dementia due to age or an early sign of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's is a progressive disorder of the brain. It causes impaired memory functions, to an extent, that your daily life activities are affected. It slowly develops over the years and can lead to death.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
A few early signs of Alzheimer’s that patients should look out for:
Forgetting names or any scheduled meetings
Having difficulty going to familiar places
Being unaware of what month and the year is
Having difficulty performing multi-step tasks
Misplacing your things at inappropriate places
Lacking the judgment power
Repeating the same actions/conversations
Being disoriented
Some of these signs happen in old age, but they may or may not be the signs of Alzheimer's. For example, forgetting an appointment with your doctor but remembering it later is not a sign of Alzheimer's, but forgetting your appointments continuously multiple times that eventually require you to get help from your friends and family is indicative of Alzheimer's disease.
Types of Alzheimer’s Disease
There are three types of Alzheimer’s disease
Early -onset Alzheimer’s disease - This type of Alzheimer's happens before the age of 65. Down Syndrome is a predisposing factor in this type of Alzheimer's.
Late -onset Alzheimer’s disease - This form of Alzheimer's is the type more prevalent, and it happens in people of age greater than 65.
Familial Alzheimer’s - This type of Alzheimer's occurs in people who have genes for Alzheimer's and at least two generations in their family history had Alzheimer's.
Statistics for Alzheimer’s
According to the statistics stated by Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, an annual report by The Alzheimer Association :
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. Till 2050, this number is estimated to reach up to nearly 13 million.
1 out of 3 senior citizens dies with Alzheimer's or by any other dementia. The mortality rate is more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
One in nine people aged 65 and older (11.3%) has Alzheimer's dementia.
Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's is a multifactorial disease. It happens by physical, psychological, and social factors. There is no definite cure for it, but various drugs and therapies can help to alleviate the symptoms.
1. MEDICINES:
Two classes of drugs are commonly used for Alzheimer's
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: It is believed that low levels of acetylcholine produce memory loss symptoms in Alzheimer's. The drugs that block the enzyme involved in acetylcholine degradation are given to increase Ach levels in patients
Memantine: It works by blocking the excess amounts of glutamate in the brain.
Medicines for behavioral and physiological symptoms: Some medications are prescribed, to treat various behavioral and psychological issues that occur in later stages of Alzheimer's like anxiety, depression, hallucinations.
2. THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT:
Having a better social and healthy life has many benefits for people who face challenges with Alzheimer's. Multiple therapies can be assistive with dementia
Art therapy: Organizing fun art activities can help people with dementia to express themselves by drawing or painting about what they are feeling.
Music therapy: Playing old songs or their favorite music can be helpful for these patients.
Reminisce memories: Using old photographs or personal belongings from the past aids to deal with these patients
Medical Marijuana in the Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
WHAT IS MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
Medical marijuana is a plant-derived compound that has different types based on the ratio of THC/CBD. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the compound that causes the 'high' effects of marijuana, but CBD (cannabidiol) has shown many health benefits without the ‘high’ effects of marijuana. Finding the correct ratio between these two compounds can help in treating many disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.
HOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA HELPS IN ALZHEIMER PATIENTS:
Alzheimer's disease is known to be caused by the accumulation of amyloid proteins in the brain. These protein deposits alter the normal functions of the brain. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a compound found in medical marijuana, which has shown promise in treating Alzheimer's. A preclinical study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's disease found that minimal doses of medical marijuana slowed the production of beta-amyloid proteins.
There is many studies that show how high quality sleep can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and may even prevent it from occurring if patients receive high quality sleep throughout their lives. These studies show that sleep can help detoxify the brain and remove waste that accumulates throughout the day. Alzheimer's patients typically do not receive the proper amount and quality of sleep to allow this detoxification process to occur naturally. In these patients with inadequate sleep the disease can progress more rapidly.
Medical marijuana has been show in preclinical studies to improve certain aspects of sleep but more research needs to be conducted how whether or not this improvement in sleep also shows an improvement in removing waste from the brain. Many patients report medical marijuana significantly increases their quality of sleep and when they wake up they feel more rested.
THE BEST MEDICAL MARIJUANA STRAINS FOR TREATING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:
A few strains of medical marijuana show surprising effects specifically for Alzheimer’s. Below is a list of some strains of medical marijuana that patients report has helped with Alzheimer’s disease.
Purple Kush
OG Kush
Sour Diesel
Green Crack
Acapulco Gold
METHODS TO TAKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA:
There are various methods to administer medical marijuana. The natural medicine should have the correct THC/CBD ratio to best help relieve the patient’s symptoms. The marijuana doctor typically prescribes the route of administration, but most commonly it is taken by:
Smoking
Vaping
Oral Capsules
CBD Oil Tinctures
Edibles
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA:
It is difficult to find the correct ratio of THC/CBD in medical marijuana as the reaction to medical marijuana and the range of side effects varies from patient to patient. Some patients report sensitivity to changes in the ratio of THC to CBD in medical marijuana and adverse effects that include:
Headaches
Memory problems
Schizophrenia
Anxiety
Depression
Addiction
CONCLUSION
The initial studies on medical marijuana have established a good foundation for the future treatment options for Alzheimer's. But despite all the beneficial effects medical marijuana imparts, the research is just in the early stages, and a lot more research is yet to be done. Hopefully with medical marijuana becoming more common there will be more funding available to determine how beneficial it can be in treating all types of diseases and disorders including Alzheimer’s disease.
How Can I Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Virginia?
That is the easy part! All you need to do is schedule an appointment and see one of our marijuana practitioners or our marijuana doctor.
We offer virtual appointments online using telemedicine and we have are able to certify over 99% of our patients for medical marijuana. If decide medical marijuana is not right for you by the end of your appointment we will issue a 100% refund.
We offer same-day appointments so patients can get their medical marijuana certificate today. However, patients do need to wait until their medical marijuana card from the state of Virginia arrives in the mail before they can visit the medical marijuana dispensaries.
To schedule an appointment all you need to do is click the Book An Appointment button below.
References
What is Alzheimer’s Disease? Retrieved 31st August 2021 / https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
Types of Alzheimer’s Disease, Retrieved 31st August 2021 /https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-types
Facts and Figures, Retrieved 31st August 2021 / https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-types
Alzheimer’s disease treatment, Retrieved 31st August 2021 / https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/treatment/
The effects of medical marijuana on the treatment of Alzheimer’s, Retrieved 31st August 2021/ https://www.alzheimers.net/6-15-15-effects-of-medical-marijuana-on-alzheimers
Cannabis, CBD oil and Dementia, Retrieved 31st August 2021, https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/treatments/alternative-therapies/cannabis-cbd-oil-and-dementia
6 Worst Side Effects of Medical Marijuana on Mental Health, Retrieved 29 August 2021/ https://www.rtor.org/2019/09/06/worst-side-effects-of-medical-marijuana/
