{"id":8404,"date":"2018-07-25T12:37:56","date_gmt":"2018-07-25T12:37:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com?p=3145272&#038;preview_id=3145272"},"modified":"2018-08-14T22:54:38","modified_gmt":"2018-08-14T22:54:38","slug":"synthetic-marijuana-bright-lights-could-help-dementia-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/synthetic-marijuana-bright-lights-could-help-dementia-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"Synthetic marijuana, bright lights could help dementia patients"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/synthetic-marijuana-bright-lights-could-help-dementia-patients\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<div><img class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/synthetic-marijuana-bright-lights-could-help-dementia-patients.jpg\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Synthetic marijuana and brighter lights could help improve the lives of people with dementia, according to new research presented Tuesday at the Alzheimer\u2019s Association International Conference in Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>Alzheimer\u2019s disease and related dementias are best known for the breakdown in cognitive abilities. But a host of other symptoms \u2014 including agitation, anxiety, depression, and insomnia \u2014 reduce patients\u2019 quality of life, create more challenges for caregivers and are the leading causes for placement in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.<\/p>\n<aside><strong><em>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flightams.com\/herbal-incense\/\">For trusted products containing synthetic cannabinoids check out the proprietary blends of herbal incense by Flightams<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drug treatments for these symptoms, although some pharmaceuticals, such as antipsychotics, approved for other diseases are prescribed off-label for Alzheimer\u2019s patients. However, they are associated with increased apathy, strokes and deaths.<\/p>\n<p>But a synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical in marijuana, was found to be safe and effective in treating agitation, lack of appetite and other behavioral symptoms in dementia patients, according to a new study out of the University of Toronto.<\/p>\n<p>In the trial, 39 people with moderate to severe Alzheimer\u2019s dementia received nabilone, a synthetic form of THC that is easier to regulate and is available in capsule form, for six weeks, and a placebo for six weeks. While on nabilone, their agitation levels and neuropsychiatric symptoms were reduced while their appetite improved, as exhibited in both clinical tests and caregiver reports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re excited because we think this opens a whole new door for cannabinoids as a group for treating agitation in Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d said Krista Lanctot, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology-toxicology at the University of Toronto.<\/p>\n<p>The capsules are approved to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy; this is the first clinical trial in which it is being given to Alzheimer\u2019s patients, Lanctot said.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to recreational marijuana, the synthetic version reduces pain and anxiety and increases appetite. The fuzzy brain associated with recreational use is not really a concern when treating Alzheimer\u2019s patients, because they already have memory problems, Lanctot said. And the synthetic form, which is modified to be less potent, can also have effects that prevent neurons from dying, she said.<\/p>\n<p>Lanctot said she hopes to get funding for a bigger trial; a 10-person trial of another synthetic cannabinoid is starting in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, she cautioned people not to confuse the synthetic drug with the other kind. \u201cWe don\u2019t want someone going out and giving grandma marijuana because they think it\u2019s going to help,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>In another study presented Tuesday, scientists from the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute presented findings on a lighting system tailored to improve sleep, mood and behavior for nursing home residents with Alzheimer\u2019s and related dementias.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The terms dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease are often confused with each other. We explain the difference between the two, and what they both mean. Learn more here: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6irffOBFnv\">https:\/\/t.co\/6irffOBFnv<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dTyykIbknh\">pic.twitter.com\/dTyykIbknh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Alzheimer&#8217;s Society (@alzheimerssoc) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/alzheimerssoc\/status\/1020699928618823682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 21, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Researchers provided nursing home residents with bright, blue-white light during the day and dimmer yellow-white light in the evening to better mimic the body\u2019s circadian rhythms. Forty-three residents participated in a four-week study and 37 in a six-month study. Both used a custom-designed LED light table or individual room lighting, and personal light meters measured the light exposure received by patients\u2019 eyes. Sleep disturbance, mood and agitation were also measured and were found to be reduced in both groups during the lighting intervention.<\/p>\n<p>The findings could make facilities throughout the country rethink their lighting design. Most nursing homes have \u201chorrible, very low continuous dim light\u201d that doesn\u2019t change during the course of the day, said Mariana Figueiro, the center\u2019s director. Such lighting negatively affects the body\u2019s production of melatonin, which helps people sleep.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related right\"><\/aside>\n<p>The standards at most facilities are based on people being able to see, which is different from the amount needed for your biological clock, Figueiro said, adding that low light also saves energy. But with technological advances, many facilities are now turning to LEDs, which are energy-efficient and whose color and intensity are easier to regulate than incandescent or fluorescent lights.<\/p>\n<p>The lighting research fits with the Alzheimer\u2019s Association\u2019s recommendations for using non-pharmacologic alternatives to medication, including validating that a person seems to be upset and making sure they engage in regular physical activity.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that patients\u2019 symptoms continued to improve even during the longer study was especially encouraging, Figueiro said, considering how quickly Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms can worsen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSix months is a long time in the life of an Alzheimer\u2019s patient,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re declining, and yet we\u2019re continuously seeing an improvement with the light.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<p>New treatment safe and effective in battling agitation, lack of appetite and other behavioral symptoms <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[637,6811,6464,7153,6892,6813,7938,77,5667,9,2331,6833,5019,1357,1777,1,3,18,61,1736],"tags":[3210,6816,6466,7155,6893,7950,6818,7939,2655,5673,4898,6835,5022,3927,4345,2622],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8404"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8415,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404\/revisions\/8415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}