Disease Description

Alzheimer's disease is a fatal, progressive and degenerative disease that destroys brain cells. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 64 per cent of all dementias.

Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. Symptoms include having difficulty remembering things, making decisions and performing everyday activities. These changes can affect the way a person feels and acts.

Alzheimer’s typically appears after the age of 60. We do not yet know what causes Alzheimer's disease but researchers have identified risk factors including aging, genetics, existing disease and infections among others. -Alzheimer Society of Canada

Prevalence

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia in the United States, affecting 5.4 million Americans.

Current Treatment

There is currently no way to stop the disease, but research is improving the way we provide care and will continue to search for a cure.

Evidence for and Proposed Mechanism of Cannabinoid Therapeutics

In a study entitled "Alzheimer’s disease; taking the edge off with cannabinoids?" at Department of Physiology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience in Dublin, Ireland, it’s reported that "In brains obtained from Alzheimer’s patients, alterations in components of the cannabinoid system have been reported, suggesting that the cannabinoid system either contributes to, or is altered by, the pathophysiology of the disease." The study goes on to say, "cannabinoids offer a multi-faceted approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by providing neuroprotection and reducing neuroinflammation, whilst simultaneously supporting the brain’s intrinsic repair mechanisms by augmenting neurotrophin expression and enhancing neurogenesis." Another study entitled "A Molecular Link Between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer's Disease Pathology" at the Department of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology in California, claimed, "Compared to currently approved drugs prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Abeta aggregation, and this study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism through which cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this debilitating disease."