THURSDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDayNews) — A synthetic version of the active ingredient in marijuana may reduce agitation and promote weight gain in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
A recent study of 48 people with Alzheimer’s found 66 percent of them experienced significant improvement in agitation and 33 percent of them had functional improvement after a month of treatment with dronabinol.
Before the study, all the patients had been diagnosed with anorexia and had suffered weight loss. After treament with dronabinol, all the patients gained weight.
No falls, syncope, seizures or exacerbation of agitation or depression were reported as a result of treatment, the study says.
The findings were presented recently at the annual meeting of the International Psychogeriatric Association.
“Our research suggests dronabinol may reduce agitation and improve appetite in patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” when traditional therapies aren’t successful, lead investigator Dr. Joshua Shua-Haim, says in a news release.
He’s medical director of the Meridian Institute for Aging in New Jersey.
“In the study, dronabinol appeared to be safe and effective for these patients. The results point to a promising direction for future research,” Shua-Haim says.
More information
Here’s where you can learn more about Alzheimer’s disease.
(SOURCE: Meridian Health System, news release, August 2003)
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