Chicago, IL: A synthetic version of the marijuana compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) reduced agitation and stimulated weight gain in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to clinical trial data presented this week at the annual meeting of the International Psychogeriatric Association.
Researchers presented data from a retrospective review of 48 patients residing in a dementia unit of an assisted living facility or nursing home. Patients in the trial received up to 10 mg of synthetic THC daily for one month. Thirty-one patients (66 percent) experienced significant improvement in agitation, and 33 (69 percent) experienced observable functional improvements as a result of the treatment, scientists found.
In addition, all 48 volunteers gained weight during the trial. Weight loss, a common symptom associated with Alzheimer’s disease, is a predictive factor of mortality.
No adverse side effects to the THC treatment were reported.
In May, speakers at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society presented similar findings from a nine-patient clinical trial. A 1997 trial of 12 Alzheimer patients also found that THC significantly decreased negative feelings and induced weight gain.
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