Monday, November 5, 2018

Research Update: Using Synthetic Cannabis as Treatment for Agitated Alzheimer's Patients

In July 2018, Canadian researchers from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre presented some encouraging data which suggested that a synthetic form of cannabis, called nabilone, may help calm agitated patients with Alzheimer’s.

Approximately one-quarter of patients with advanced Alzheimer’s experience agitation – where they can become angry, restless, and verbally or physically abusive – and thus are often the primary reason that patients are sent to hospitals or institutions. Current treatments for agitation use anti-psychotic drugs; however, these drugs have only modest effects and are associated with a number of side effects, such as higher risks of strokes, falls, and death.

The team of scientists at Sunnybrook tested the efficacy of the synthetic cannabis in 38 patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s who had noticeable agitation over a 14-week trial. They found that while patients were on the nabilone, both agitation and overall behavioral symptoms improved significantly, in comparison to the placebo. In fact, “They wouldn’t strike out, they wouldn’t get stiff when care was being provided. They were easier to examine and were calmer and more comfortable,” said Dr. Nathan Herrmann – a psychiatrist and scientist with Sunnybrook and the University of Toronto. Moreover, the synthetic cannabis seemed to also have a positive effect on caregivers by reducing their stress of looking after the patient.

The Canadian researchers have said that their next steps are to plan a larger study with more patients and to determine the correct dose of nabilone for patients, in order to minimize sedation.  





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