“Culpability studies, a common study design in the cannabis crash risk literature, typically report odds-ratios (OR) indicating the raised risks of a culpable accident. This parameter is of unclear policy relevance, and is frequently misinterpreted as an estimate of the increased crash risk, a practice that introduces a substantial “interpretational bias”.
Monthly Archives: November 2018
Neuroprotection by cannabidiol and hypothermia in a piglet model of newborn hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.
“Hypothermia, the gold standard after a hypoxic-ischemic insult, is not beneficial in all treated newborns. Cannabidiol is neuroprotective in animal models of newborn hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. This study compared the relative efficacies of cannabidiol and hypothermia in newborn hypoxic-ischemic piglets and assessed whether addition of cannabidiol augments hypothermic neuroprotection.
RESULTS:
HI led to sustained depressed brain activity and increased microglial activation, which was significantly improved by cannabidiol alone or with hypothermia but not by hypothermia alone. Hypoxic-ischemic-induced increases in Lac/NAA, Glu/NAA, TNFα or apoptosis were not reversed by either hypothermia or cannabidiol alone, but combination of the therapies did. No treatment modified the effects of HI on oxidative stress or astroglial activation. Cannabidiol treatment was well tolerated.CONCLUSIONS:
cannabidiol administration after hypoxia-ischemia in piglets offers some neuroprotective effects but the combination of cannabidiol and hypothermia shows some additive effect leading to more complete neuroprotection than cannabidiol or hypothermia alone.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30468796 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390818308554?via%3Dihub]]>Long-Term Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Cannabidiol in Children with Refractory Epilepsy: Results from an Expanded Access Program in the US.
“Purified cannabidiol is a new antiepileptic drug that has recently been approved for use in patients with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, but most published studies have not extended beyond 12-16 weeks.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety, tolerability, and efficacy of cannabidiol in children with epilepsy.
Twenty-six children were enrolled. Most had genetic epilepsies with daily or weekly seizures and multiple seizure types. All were refractory to prior antiepileptic drugs (range 4-11, mean 7), and were taking two antiepileptic drugs on average. Duration of therapy ranged from 4 to 53 months (mean 21 months). Adverse events were reported in 21 patients (80.8%), including reduced appetite in ten (38.4%), diarrhea in nine (34.6%), and weight loss in eight (30.7%). Four (15.4%) had changes in antiepileptic drug concentrations and three had elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels when cannabidiol was administered together with valproate. Serious adverse events, reported in six patients (23.1%), included status epilepticus in three, catatonia in two, and hypoalbuminemia in one. Fifteen patients (57.7%) discontinued cannabidiol for lack of efficacy, one because of status epilepticus, and one for severe weight loss. The retention rate declined rapidly in the first 6 months and more gradually thereafter. At 24 months, the number of patients continuing cannabidiol as adjunctive therapy was nine of the original 26 (34.6%). Of these patients, seven (26.9%) had a sustained > 50% reduction in motor seizures, including three (11.5%) who remain seizure free.CONCLUSION:
Over a 4-year period, cannabidiol was effective in 26.9% of children with otherwise refractory epilepsy. It was well tolerated in about 20% of patients, but 80.8% had adverse events, including 23.1% with serious adverse events. Decreased appetite and diarrhea were frequent along with weight loss that became evident only later in the treatment.”The level of evidence of medical marijuana use for treating disabilities: a scoping review.
“There is sufficient evidence that medical marijuana is effective in treating epileptic seizures and chronic pain.
Medical marijuana may improve the level of functioning and quality of life for individuals with certain disabilities.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30456993
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638288.2018.1523952?journalCode=idre20
“The plant Cannabis sativa produces over 140 known
“The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in a considerable number of physiological processes in the Central Nervous System.
Recently, a modulatory role of
“Diabetes and aging are risk factors for cognitive impairments after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH).
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid present in the