cannabisnews.com: Cannabis May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Memory Loss Cannabis May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Memory Loss Posted by CN Staff on February 23, 2005 at 17:14:58 PT By Ben Sills in Madrid and Ian Sample Source: Guardian Unlimited Scientists at one of Spain's leading research centres claimed yesterday to have found evidence that cannabis helps prevent the memory loss experienced by people suffering from Alzheimer's. The potential breakthrough in understanding a disease that affects nearly half a million people in Britain, and around nine million worldwide, was made by a team led by Marķa de Ceballos at the Cajal Institute in Madrid. Their study seems to show that THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis, inhibits the activity of cells that cause damage to neurons in the brain. Although the study is preliminary, it was welcomed by patient groups. "Right now, there are no good drugs for Alzheimer's. There are some that treat symptoms but nothing that halts the disease," said Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society. While the beneficial effects of cannabis looked promising, Dr Sorensen cautioned that people with Alzheimer's should not start using the drug to help their memories, because of side effects. Memory loss in Alzheimer's patients is not fully understood, but part of the problem is thought to lie with cells called microglia that surround neurons in the brain. In Alzheimer's, the activity of microglia gets out of control, damaging neurons and killing off parts of the brain. Dr de Ceballos's team conducted two separate experiments using human brain tissue and rats which showed that THC inhibits the activity of microglia, thus reducing memory loss. Dr de Ceballos said the results showed that THC could help prevent memory loss in Alzheimer's patients, although the reasons why this might happen are still to be explored. The next stage, she said, would be to test the rats using a synthetic equivalent of THC which inhibits the activity of microglia without intoxicating the rats as well. "There's a long way to go before we will know if it is actually possible to stop the progression of Alzheimer's," she said. Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Author: Ben Sills in Madrid and Ian SamplePublished: Thursday, February 24, 2005Copyright: 2005 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMarijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimer's http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20276.shtmlMarijuana May Block Alzheimer's http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20269.shtmlHigh Times for Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14254.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #15 posted by FoM on February 24, 2005 at 09:21:02 PT potpal Thank you. I think we get that channel. I will check it out. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 24, 2005 at 09:19:52 PT Dankhank Pause, why didn't I think of that! I need to do a recording that if I mess it up it won't matter. I'll do that and maybe I'll be able to figure out this thing! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by dongenero on February 24, 2005 at 08:09:55 PT stick with it siege Stick with it siege. It was a great try and it almost worked out. They can put up road blocks but they can't stop us.The mainstream media is in danger of becoming obsolete. There are other ways for people to get information. (Like cannabisnews.com and the multitude of other internet news sources). The more they try to taint and control information, the more people will turn to other sources.Eventually they will either air your type of honest message or they will not be around to air anything. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by potpal on February 24, 2005 at 07:01:45 PT fom I'm getting a station here using my local cable company called TRIO, Pop, Culture, TV. One recent Saturday night they had a full Jimmy Hendrix concert, somewhere in London, the full, next up the Glass Spider tour concert (Bowie), followed by a full U2 concert...I was blown away. Look for it or asked your cable company to get with it. Awesome station supporting the arts. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Dankhank on February 24, 2005 at 05:59:28 PT pause ... No prob, loved the package ...It's literally been YEARS since I have watched a superbowl ...It was a "flash from the past" with icing ... :-) [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by siege on February 24, 2005 at 04:19:57 PT Hope Don't even try to put a spot on TV. in Chattanooga,Tennessee. I though it was a done deal on Medical Marijuana on CD I gave them the money and CD for 8 spots aday for 30 days, and it naver was aired, and sent back to me about 20 days later and there Attorney said that it was Not there Policy to air that type of material. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on February 23, 2005 at 22:21:49 PT "preliminary"? We discussed a very similar study in September 2002. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14254.shtml I spent days sending it to every newspaper I could and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. It never made the mainstream press here and wasn't followed up on at the time in the British press. Why no mention of the previous studies? [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by siege on February 23, 2005 at 21:15:54 PT synthetic Dr Sorensen} Would like to feed you ) cannabis ( Produced by chemical synthesis, especially not of natural origin. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by sam adams on February 23, 2005 at 21:12:46 PT side effect Hey, drymouth can be a real bummer. Especially if you've forgotten to pick up the Ricola. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by jfrolang on February 23, 2005 at 21:06:35 PT Side effects? "While the beneficial effects of cannabis looked promising, Dr Sorensen cautioned that people with Alzheimer's should not start using the drug to help their memories, because of side effects."What side effects of cannabis could be so unnerving that it's not worth your life of memories? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by The GCW on February 23, 2005 at 20:03:44 PT More from Madrid + Cal. hemp... More good news that aging humans will not want to ignore from Madrid...Reagan...+Farmers growing hemp is Inevitable in light of the 9th Circuit court ruling app. Feb. 6, 2004, which stops the Feds from banning hemp products. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 23, 2005 at 19:29:25 PT Dankhank I'm glad you got it and it works ok. I knew how to work a VCR but how to pause commercials I haven't figured out yet on a DVD. I hope they have a good free concert on Direct TV soon that I'll be able to record. Maybe a Neil Young concert. Now that would be something I'd really like! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on February 23, 2005 at 19:19:21 PT THC for me ... good story .....they're so scared of getting high, it is almost funny ...OT, FoM ...got the package ... many thanks ...everything works flawlessly ...Peace ... [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on February 23, 2005 at 18:44:14 PT News Brief from NBC11.com Bill Would Allow Calif. Farmers To Grow Hemp February 23, 2005Assemblyman Mark Leno is sponsoring a bill that would allow California farmers to grow hemp.Hemp product makers, farmers and industry supporters met outside the Capitol Wednesday to support the proposed bill.Supporters of the bill say farmers are being left out of the $150 million help industry. They say hemp is not marijuana and only has traces of the hallucinogenic chemical that causes a high from smoking pot.Leno says legalizing hemp production would help benefit the state economy.Leno adds 14 others states allow hemp production.The legislature passed a bill allowing hemp production back in 2002, but then-Gov. Gray Davis vetoed it.Copyright 2005 by NBC11.comhttp://www.nbc11.com/news/4226625/detail.html Hemp Links [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 23, 2005 at 17:15:35 PT THC That's right! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment