Mar 13, 2022

Studies on Neurodegenerative Disease and Cannabinoids

seen exciting new research published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Free Radical Biology and Medicine that shows findings about cannabidiol and cannabinol, two cannabinoid compounds, and their possible effects on the functions of brain cells. Today, we’re exploring how these findings may pave the way for future studies on cannabinoids and neurology.

What Are Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Neurodegenerative disorders occur due to "progressive damage to cells and nervous system connections," and can impact functions like language, respiration, cardiovascular function, mobility, balance, and more.

There are many diseases that fall under the scope of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Friedreich ataxia, and spinal muscular atrophy. Among those and other disorders, scientists typically classify neurodegenerative disease by their symptoms and features, the distribution of the disease in the body, or the molecular abnormality present.

Causes of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Unfortunately, neurodegenerative disorders have varied and sometimes undetectable causes, making treatment and prevention development extremely challenging. However, over decades of research, scientists have found that there are a few leading causes of these disorders, though the degree to which each impacts a person's risk depends on the individual:

Age: a person’s risk for developing certain neurological disorders increases with age.
Environmental factors: exposure to pollution, fungicides, pesticides, arsenic and lead, consumer product chemicals, and other toxins may also have an effect on the development of this class of disorders.
Genetics: a family history of a neurodegenerative disease increases a person's chance of developing the same condition.
Lifestyle: factors such as alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, and smoking play a role in the risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders.

Treatments for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Since the beginnings of the scientific study of neurology, researchers have been working to uncover treatments for the full range of neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, patients have options to treatments that may decrease symptoms and improve quality of life, but there are no known preventions or cures for this type of disease. However, with millions of experts working on finding superior treatment options - and thousands of studies underway - we may see more effective options in the near future.

Alzheimer's Disease

Around 6.2 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, making it one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders in the world. The disease is the most common type of dementia, a class of diseases affecting brain function, and is the 6th leading cause of death for adults in the U.S. These significant numbers are expected to climb even higher, potentially reaching 14 million people affected by 2060.

As with other neurodegenerative diseases, the exact causes of Alzheimer’s are not always clear from individual to individual, but there are a few major factors experts believe to be involved. In particular, a combination of genetics and environmental exposures is suspected to be a significant cause of many cases of Alzheimer's. Other risk factors, like unhealthy lifestyle, lifelong lack of exercise, and substance use may also play a role.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's include memory loss, difficulty learning new things, impacted attention span, personality shifts, challenges with mobility, and other cognitive and physical changes.

Alzheimer's In the Brain

Alzheimer's disease occurs like other neurodegenerative disorders: with damage to neurons and connections within the brain. As those neurons are damaged, the connections between them are also affected.

Like other neurological disorders, the only treatments available for Alzheimer’s attend to the support of brain health, function, and symptom management. There are no treatment options that prevent or cure the disease.

Researchers continue to learn more about Alzheimer’s - and search for revolutionary treatments and possible cures. A quick search for treatment options online shows more than 119 million results, from alternative care to prescription pills, displaying the vast effect of Alzheimer’s on public health. Among those results are a series of studies and trials on the impact of certain substances on cells. The aim of these studies is to detect a compound or future medication that treats cells and can be later used in humans. Several of those studies within the past few years are looking at compounds from the cannabis plant and how they may affect proteins, cells, and inflammation in the brain.

CBN in Human Cells

Published in February of 2022, one study explores the relationship between cannabinol (CBN), a compound in the HEMP plant, and nerve cells. Led by Pamela Maher, PhD, the researchers followed up on the findings of an earlier study that investigated the neuroprotective properties of CBN. The most recent study built upon those findings to investigate how CBN delivers its neuroprotective effects.

The team studied oxytosis, a process that happens in aging brains that experts believe may be a cause of Alzheimer's disease, said to damage to neural cells by way of lipid oxidation. The process may be caused by the loss of antioxidants, specifically glutathione.

Researchers "treated nerve cells with CBN, and then introduced an agent to stimulate oxidative damage" to study whether CBN had an effect on preventing the oxytosis process. While normally the mitochondria of neuron cells would coil inwards, often seen in cells drawn from Alzheimer's patients, the findings showed that CBN protected the mitochondria, preventing them from coiling and helping to maintain proper function. The findings also showed that CBN did so without activating cannabinoid receptors.

This and other studies have found that CBN, like other HEMP-derived cannabinoid compounds, is safely used by humans and animals. In addition, the ability of CBN to affect cells without interacting with cannabinoid receptors shows that it could work in different cell types.

CBD in Mice

Other studies have examined the effects of HEMP-derived cannabidiol, another cannabinoid compound, on these same subjects. The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease published one study that explored the effect of this compound on proteins and inflammation in mice.

The researchers administered a two-week course of cannabidiol through the stomachs of a group of mice with familial Alzheimer's disease. Notably, the cannabidiol servings were classified as "high dose." The brain function of the mice was tested via memory taste and movement, two functions that are often impacted in humans living with Alzheimer’s disease. Findings showed that the process "restored the function" of proteins TREM2 and IL-33, two proteins closely connected with reducing the build-up of plaque that is commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists believe TREM2 and IL-33 are essential components in the human brain's immune cell function, specifically the ability of those cells to remove plaque and other dead cells in the brain. Alzheimer's patients have been found to have decreased levels of the two proteins. The study also found that the compound affected the levels of IL-6, a protein connected with inflammation, another facet of Alzheimer's.

In the discussion, the researchers also noted the barriers and ambitions for Alzheimer's treatments, explaining why this study was an important step forward. Currently, there are two classes of drugs used to treat the disease, but neither of these classes addresses the "pathophysiology" or physiological processes associated with Alzheimer's disease. This study did so by assessing the impact of cannabidiol on the systems that affect or are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Conclusion

These studies are significant not just because they can assess the possible connection between cannabinoids and neurodegenerative disease, but because they offer essential information about where future experimentation should lead.

There is currently no research, or medications, that supports the idea that cannabinoids could be used as a treatment, prevention, or cure for any disease, including neurological disorders. However, these two studies are just a few of many recent and coming trials investigating the potential effects of cannabinoids like cannabidiol on the brain.

At Science-Rite HEMP™, we closely follow news related to scientific findings in the world of cannabinoids and wellness. Stay up to date on cannabinoid research and industry news with us at Science-Rite.

Contact Us

Information

About us