Click here to receive MS news via e-mail
By Jeremy Kossen — 6/23/2016
While most people associate neurodegenerative disorders with diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson disease, there are actually hundreds of different neurodegenerative diseases that affect millions of people worldwide. As legalization continues to bring cannabis to the forefront, caregivers and loved ones of patients afflicted with neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly curious about whether medical marijuana can help alleviate symptoms. How might cannabis help the millions of patients diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder?
Can Cannabis Treat Neurodegenerative Disease?
Because cannabinoids have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory qualities, many speculate that cannabis could prove useful in preventing, halting, or reversing debilitating neurodegenerative disorder.
Juan Sanchez-Ramos, MD, PhD, a professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of South Florida, is optimistic, noting that early laboratory studies have identified cannabinoids which, by virtue of their neuro-protective and anti-oxidative actions, have the potential to “slow the onset and progression of neurodegenerative conditions.”
Sanchez-Ramos cautions we need far more human trials, but the federal government’s long-standing position on cannabis as an illegal Schedule I drug with “no known medical use” has impeded progress of researchers who face unnecessary obstacles to conduct research, a point he argued in a Tampa Bay Times op-ed. The government’s position has “hampered clinical research on cannabis for nearly half a century.”
What are Neurodegenerative Diseases?
“Neurodegenerative disease” refers to a variety of conditions that affect neurons – or nerve cells – in the brain. Neurons comprise the building blocks of our nervous system, including our spinal cord and brain.
he Harvard Neurodiscovery Center put forth a chilling observation:
“If left unchecked, 30 years from now, more than 12 million Americans will suffer from neurodegenerative diseases.”
Another staggering statistic: In 2010, the global cost of Alzheimer’s disease was $604 billion, or 1% of global GDP.
For patients and their families, these incurable, debilitating diseases can be devastating, and given the far-reaching impact of these diseases, researching cost-effective solutions should be a top priority.
Most Common Forms of Neurodegenerative Disease
The most frequently diagnosed neurodegenerative disorders are:
- Alzheimer’s
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”)
- Parkinson’s
- Huntington’s
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Prion disease
- Spinal muscular atrophy
Remarkably, Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for possibly 60-80% of cases.
Causes and Symptoms of Neurodegenerative Disease
Continue reading/
MS Views and News
Providing educational information, resources and services for those affected by MS
Visit our MS Learning Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/msviewsandnews