Ep. 56 - Cannabis for Brain Health

Cannabis has been used by humans for over 6,000 years and is considered to be one of the first plants specifically cultivated for human use. In industrial uses, cannabis can be made into fibers, paper, oil, biofuel, animal bedding and feed, and construction materials, like hempcrete, hemp lumber, and hemp insulation.

As a medicine, cannabis can be specifically tailored to treat a disease by targeting the two major actions of cannabinoids, which are anti-oxidation and neuroprotection.  That means that the cannabinoids found in cannabis can be used to treat every disease known to man, as we now recognize inflammation in the body and brain as the major driver of chronic disease states.

But cannabinoids can also offer protection and reversal of disease; some studies even suggest cannabinoids can reverse aging, especially in the brain as some of the compounds target sensitive cells in the central nervous system to protect, repair, and regrow new neurons that mimic young brains, even in older adults.

In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we examine the neuroprotective and reparative effects of cannabinoids, and studies to date have indicated that these compounds have incredible potential for treating - and reversing - a host of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, seizures, and even aging. 

After all, it’s why the Department of Health and Human Services slapped a patent on cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants back in 2003, indicating our government is heavily invested in research using cannabis to treat these disorders. Welcome to the Stoned Age!

EPISODE RESOURCES

Al-Khazaleh, A.K., Zhou, X., Bhuyan, D. J., Münch, G.W., Al-Dalabeeh, E.A., Jaye, K., & Chang, D. (2024). The neurotherapeutic arsenal in cannabis sativa: Insights into anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective activity and potential entourage effects. Molecules, 29(2), 410. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020410 

Arkell, T.R., Manning, B., Downey, L.A., & Hayley, A.C. (2023). A semi-naturalistic, open-label trial examining the effect of prescribed medical cannabis on neurocognitive performance. CNS Drugs, 37(11), 981–992. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-023-01046-z 

Bilkei-Gorzo A. (2024). The endocannabinoid system in normal and pathological brain ageing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 367, 3326-3341.  https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2011.0388 

Bilkei-Gorzo, A., Albayram, O., Draffehn, A., Michel, K., Piyanova, A., Oppenheimer, H., Dvir-Ginzberg, M., Rácz, I., Ulas, T., Imbeault, S., Bab, I., Schultze, J. L., & Zimmer, A. (2017). A chronic low dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) restores cognitive function in old mice. Nature Medicine, 23(6), 782–787. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4311 

Breivogel, C.S., & Childers, S.R. (1998). The functional neuroanatomy of brain cannabinoid receptors. Neurobiology of Disease, 5(6), 417–431. https://doi.org/10.1006/nbdi.1998.0229 

Cammarota, M., Ferlenghi, F., Vacondio, F., Vincenzi, F., Varani, K., Bedini, A., Rivara, S., Mor, M., & Boscia, F. (2023). Combined targeting of fatty acid amide hydrolase and melatonin receptors promotes neuroprotection and stimulates inflammation resolution in rats. British Journal of Pharmacology, 180(10), 1316–1338. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.16014 

da Cruz Guedes, E., Erustes, A.G., Leão, A.H.F.F., Carneiro, C.A., Abílio, V.C., Zuardi, A. W., Hallak, J.E.C., Crippa, J.A., Bincoletto, C., Smaili, S.S., Reckziegel, P., & Pereira, G.J.S. (2023). Cannabidiol recovers dopaminergic neuronal damage induced by reserpin