I could not resist publishing this article as
well. I really am not sure if this is the ‘red car’ theory ( you buy one and
all you see are red cars after that) or if Cannabis is receiving a lot more air
time then previously.
But as I am hanging my live on Cannabis, I guess
I am likely to get excited with every positive publication I see.
Tony, my long standing best friend, sent me this link recently.
Ian
Sample Science editor
Monday 8 May 2017 16.00 BST Last modified on Monday 8 May 2017 22.00 BST
Researchers have come up with an unusual proposal to slow, or even reverse, the cognitive decline that comes with old age: small, daily doses of cannabis extract.
The idea emerged from tests on mice which found that regular, low doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – impaired memory and learning in young animals, but boosted the performance of old ones.
The discovery has raised hopes for a treatment that improves brain function in old age without inducing the behavioural effects well known to recreational users of the drug.
To investigate whether it works in humans, the scientists plan to launch a clinical trial later this year.“If we can rejuvenate the brain so that everybody gets five to 10 more years without needing extra care then that is more than we could have imagined,” said Andras Bilkei-Gorzo at the University of Bonn.
Monday 8 May 2017 16.00 BST Last modified on Monday 8 May 2017 22.00 BST
Researchers have come up with an unusual proposal to slow, or even reverse, the cognitive decline that comes with old age: small, daily doses of cannabis extract.
The idea emerged from tests on mice which found that regular, low doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – impaired memory and learning in young animals, but boosted the performance of old ones.
The discovery has raised hopes for a treatment that improves brain function in old age without inducing the behavioural effects well known to recreational users of the drug.
To investigate whether it works in humans, the scientists plan to launch a clinical trial later this year.“If we can rejuvenate the brain so that everybody gets five to 10 more years without needing extra care then that is more than we could have imagined,” said Andras Bilkei-Gorzo at the University of Bonn.
The balance between detrimental, pro-aging, often
stochastic processes and counteracting homeostatic mechanisms largely
determines the progression of aging. There is substantial evidence suggesting
that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is part of the latter system because it
modulates the physiological processes underlying aging1,
2.
The activity of the ECS declines during aging, as CB1 receptor expression and
coupling to G proteins are reduced in the brain tissues of older animals3,
4,
5
and the levels of the major endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are
lower6.
However, a direct link between endocannabinoid tone and aging symptoms has not
been demonstrated. Here we show that a low dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC) reversed the age-related decline in cognitive performance of mice aged 12
and 18 months. This behavioral effect was accompanied by enhanced expression of
synaptic marker proteins and increased hippocampal spine density. THC treatment
restored hippocampal gene transcription patterns such that the expression
profiles of THC-treated mice aged 12 months closely resembled those of THC-free
animals aged 2 months. The transcriptional effects of THC were critically dependent
on glutamatergic CB1 receptors and histone acetylation, as their inhibition
blocked the beneficial effects of THC. Thus, restoration of CB1 signaling in
old individuals could be an effective strategy to treat age-related cognitive
impairments.
No comments:
Post a Comment