Doctors may one day add a new tool to the dementia tool kit: a tightly controlled cannabis oil. In a small trial of 120 people with advanced dementia, nearly 90% of those given a THC/CBD oil for 12 weeks showed reduced agitation, compared with less than 25% who were administered a placebo, researchers reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in London. The custom-made oil, taken twice daily, contained low-dose THC (2mg) and high-dose CBD (100mg) per milliliter and didn't appear to cause a "high" or major safety problems beyond what's typical for very ill patients, with serious events and deaths occurring in both groups, per the New York Times.
Experts stress that the findings are preliminary—the Phase 2 study isn't yet peer-reviewed or published, and the formulation isn't FDA-approved. Still, one clinician not involved with the study called the results "very robust" and potentially meaningful for a symptom that currently relies on antipsychotics, opioids, and anti-anxiety drugs that can hasten death or cause heavy sedation. Previous studies have also tied CBD to decreased inflammation in Alzheimer's patients.
Specialists caution families not to experiment with dispensary marijuana and say any cannabinoid treatment for agitation should be prescribed and monitored by medical professionals. "Over-the-counter or commercially available THC and CBD products may vary widely in their composition, quality, and dosing, making them potentially ineffective or even harmful," says Georgetown University's Brigid Reynolds, one of the study's presenters, per a Georgetown University release.
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