“…the involvement of the endocannabinoid system was investigated by using selective inhibitors of endocannabinoid inactivation (cellular re-uptake or enzymatic hydrolysis) and selective cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonists and by silencing the CB1 receptor…
Our data suggest that selective activation of CB1 receptors by either exogenous or endogenous cannabinoids might afford neuroprotection…”
“Cannabinoids have been widely reported to have neuroprotective properties in vitro and in vivo. In this study we compared the effects of CB1 and CB2 receptor-selective ligands, the endocannabinoid anandamide and the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, against oxidative stress and the toxic hallmark Alzheimer’s protein, β-amyloid (Aβ)…
…the endocannabinoid anandamide protects neuronal cells from Aβ exposure via a pathway unrelated to CB1 or CB2 receptor activation…protective effect of cannabidiol against oxidative stress…
…divergent pathways for neuroprotection of these two cannabinoids.”
“Cannabinoids have neuroprotective effects that are exerted primarily through cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the brain. This study characterized CB1 receptor distribution in the double transgenic (dtg) APP(swe)/PS1(ΔE9) mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease. Immunohistochemical labeling of CB1 protein in non-transgenic mice revealed that CB1 was highly expressed in the hippocampus, with the greatest density of CB1 protein observed in the combined hippocampal subregions CA2 and CA3 (CA2/3). CB1 immunoreactivity in the CA1 and CA2/3 hippocampal regions was significantly decreased in the dtg APP(swe)/PS1(ΔE9) mice compared to non-transgenic littermates. Reduced CB1 expression in dtg APP(swe)/PS1(ΔE9) mice was associated with astroglial proliferation and elevated expression of the cytokines inducible nitric oxide synthase and tumor necrosis factor alpha. This finding suggests an anti-inflammatory effect of cannabinoids that is mediated by CB1 receptor, particularly in the CA2/3 region of the hippocampus. Furthermore, the study suggests a decreased CB1 receptor expression may result in diminished anti-inflammatory processes, exacerbating the neuropathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease.”
“In view of the pro-inflammatory scenario observed in Alzheimer’s disease, in the recent years anti-inflammatory drugs have been proposed as potential therapeutic agents. We have previously shown that cannabidiol, the main non-psychotropic component from Cannabis sativa, possess a variegate combination of anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects that protect PC12 cells from Abeta toxicity. In parallel, cannabidiol has been described to have anti-inflammatory properties in acute models of inflammation …
The here reported data increases our knowledge about the possible neuroprotective mechanism of cannabidiol, highlighting the importance of this compound to inhibit beta-amyloid induced neurodegeneration, in view of its low toxicity in humans.”
“Cannabinoids possess immunomodulatory activity, are neuroprotective in vivo and in vitro and can modify the production of inflammatory mediators… Cannabinoid-induced immunosuppression may have implications for the treatment of neurological disorders that are associated with excess immunological activity, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. There is anecdotal evidence that cannabis use improves the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, and studies with animal models are beginning to provide evidence for the mechanism of such effects. The development of nonpsychotropic cannabinoid analogues and modulators of the metabolism of endogenous cannabinoid ligands may lead to novel approaches to the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.”
…Our results indicate that cannabinoid receptors are important in the pathology of AD and that cannabinoids succeed in preventing the neurodegenerative process occurring in the disease.”
Free full text: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/25/8/1904.long
“For those who have inhaled, there may be some good news: Marijuana use may cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by reducing inflammation in the brain…
The findings may explain studies showing those who regularly used marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s are now less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than their non-smoking contemporaries.
Under a National Institutes of Health grant, researchers used a synthetic drug similar to marijuana to treat rats with brain inflammation typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia that afflicts 4.5 million people in the United States alone.”
Read more: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/10/19/marijuana_hea.html
The findings showed that “cannabinoids work both to prevent inflammation and to protect the brain,” says researcher Maria de Ceballos in a news release. That “may set the stage for [cannabinoids’] use as a therapeutic approach for [Alzheimer’s disease].”
The cannabinoids completely prevented activation of cells that trigger inflammation. These cells gather near plaque and are believed to be involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our results indicate that cannabinoid receptors are important in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease and that cannabinoids succeed in preventing the neurodegenerative process occurring in the disease,” write the researchers in the journal.”
Read more: http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20050223/marijuana-ingredient-may-help-alzheimers
“Although our study is far from final, it does show that there is a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism through which THC may directly affect the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.”
“THC and its analogs may provide an improved [treatment for] both the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers conclude”
Read more: http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20061006/marijuana-may-slow-alzheimers
Good news for aging hippies: smoking pot may stave off Alzheimer’s disease.
New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the formation of deposits in the brain associated with the degenerative disease.
Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana’s active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase from accelerating the formation of “Alzheimer plaques” in the brain more effectively than commercially marketed drugs.
THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer’s patients, the researchers reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
The researchers said their discovery could lead to more effective drug treatment for Alzheimer’s, the leading cause of dementia among the elderly.
Those afflicted with Alzheimer’s suffer from memory loss, impaired decision-making, and diminished language and movement skills. The ultimate cause of the disease is unknown, though it is believed to be hereditary.
Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects from cancer and AIDS treatment.”