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Marijuana may stave off Alzheimer's
POSTED: 7:57 p.m. EDT, October 5, 2006

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) -- 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 progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana's active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down 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.

Possessing marijuana for recreational use is illegal in many parts of the world, including the United States, though some states allow possession for medical purposes.

Forfatter:	Prometheus [ 06 okt 2006 15:09 ]
Titel:	THC kan tænkes at modvirke Alzheimer's
Spændende nyt - taget fra http://www.cnn.com: LINK Citat: Marijuana may stave off Alzheimer's POSTED: 7:57 p.m. EDT, October 5, 2006 WASHINGTON, (Reuters) -- 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 progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function. Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana's active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down 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. Possessing marijuana for recreational use is illegal in many parts of the world, including the United States, though some states allow possession for medical purposes.

Forfatter:	Prometheus [ 06 okt 2006 15:15 ]
Titel:
En lidt mere dybdegående artikel om undersøgelsen (taget fra http://www.futurepundit.com ) LINK August 12, 2006 THC Blocks Alzheimer's Plaque Formation Old hippies who haven't toked for decades might come back to the stoner life. Marijuana active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol blocks the formation of beta amyloid plaques which are suspected as a cause of Alzheimer's disease. LA JOLLA, CA, August 9, 2006 - Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, inhibits the formation of amyloid plaque, the primary pathological marker for Alzheimer's disease. In fact, the study said, THC is "a considerably superior inhibitor of [amyloid plaque] aggregation" to several currently approved drugs for treating the disease. The study was published online August 9 in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, a publication of the American Chemical Society. According to the new Scripps Research study, which used both computer modeling and biochemical assays, THC inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which acts as a "molecular chaperone" to accelerate the formation of amyloid plaque in the brains of Alzheimer victims. Although experts disagree on whether the presence of beta-amyloid plaques in those areas critical to memory and cognition is a symptom or cause, it remains a significant hallmark of the disease. With its strong inhibitory abilities, the study said, THC "may provide an improved therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease" that would treat "both the symptoms and progression" of the disease. The development of better tests for amyloid plaque formation probably will provide the ability to predict the development of Alzheimer's many years in advance of obvious symptoms. For people who face the threat of losing their memory 10 years hence if THC can prevent or delay that outcome use of THC might be worth it. Though quite a few people won't want to go through every day of their lives high on THC. THC works better than commercial drugs currently on the market. "When we investigated the power of THC to inhibit the aggregation of beta-amyloid," Janda said, "we found that THC was a very effective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. In addition to propidium, we also found that THC was considerably more effective than two of the approved drugs for Alzheimer's disease treatment, donepezil (Aricept ®) and tacrine (Cognex ®), which reduced amyloid aggregation by only 22 percent and 7 percent, respectively, at twice the concentration used in our studies. Our results are conclusive enough to warrant further investigation." Alzheimer's is a terrible disease. It gradually robs you of your identity. People who face the prospect of losing their memories should be allowed a great deal of latitutde in terms of what they can do to protect themselves from that fate. I expect drugs, antibodies, and vaccines will all come to market in the next 10 years that stop and reverse beta amyloid plaque formation. Use of THC for this purpose will be transitory at best. But will any government even allow clinical trials of its effectiveness against Alzheimer's?

Forfatter:	Frugthat [ 08 okt 2006 15:30 ]
Titel:
Ærgeligt at THC er så tabubelagt, at der er så få der forsker i de positive effekter.. Men spændende, at nogle er ved at få øjnene op for det..

Forfatter:	Astral [ 13 okt 2006 17:37 ]
Titel:
Man burde levere billig cannabis på plejehjemmene det tror jeg ville løse rigtig mange problemer

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