Leonard Lauder speaks during Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation eighth Annual Connoisseur's Dinner at Sotheby's on May 1, 2014 in New York City. (Photo : Getty Images/Andrew H. Walker)
Researchers around the world have been trying to figure out some ways to prevent the early onset of Alzheimer's disease. Now, a team from the Salk Institute have discovered that compounds present in marijuana could potentially help remove the toxic protein found in Alzheimer's patients.
Finding Alzheimer's disease treatment has been one of the top priorities of researchers around the world since it is the only disease in the Top 10 causes of deaths that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed down. While some of the treatment methods are still being tested and evaluated, the one discovered recently seems promising.
The study, published in the journal Aging and Mechanisms of Disease details evidence that compounds present in marijuana, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can facilitate the cellular removal of amyloid beta from the body of the patients. Amyloid beta is a form of toxic protein that forms and builds up in the body of the Alzheimer's patients.
THC, the psychoactive compound present in marijuana, is the chief chemical responsible for the psychological effects produced by pot. According to David Schubert, the senior author of the study, the recent study is the first one to demonstrate that marijuana can actually promote cellular removal of amyloid beta.
"Although other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids might be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer's, we believe our study is the first to demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells," Schubert said, in a press statement released by the university.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that results because of accumulation of amyloid beta within the nerve cells of the patients. The accumulation takes place prior to the onset of the disease symptoms and appearance of plaques. Amyloid beta is a major component that forms plaques, which is a chief characteristic feature of the disease.
During the recent study, the researchers found that higher levels of amyloid beta were associated with high rates of neuron death and greater cellular inflammation. When the team exposed the toxic protein to THC, their levels dropped and as a result, the inflammatory response from the nerve cells also eliminated. Thus, the nerve cells lived longer than usual.
The team arrived at the conclusion by demonstrating their experiment in laboratory models. According to Schubert, use of THC-like compounds as a therapy needs to carry out as a clinical trial.
The following video talks about the mechanism and secrets of Alzheimer's disease:
