Marijuana Component May Help Alzheimer’s Patients

As unlikely as it sounds, there may be something in marijuana that helps to prevent memory loss in the elderly.

Ohio State University researchers have found that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) joins nicotine, alcohol and caffeine as drugs that, in moderation, appear to provide some protection against brain inflammation in the brain that might preserve a better memory late in life.

Dr. Gary Wenk, professor of psychology at Ohio State is a principal researcher who has already shown that a THC like synthetic drug can improve memory in rats. Dr. Gary Wenk’s team is trying to find out exactly how this THC like chemical works in the brain.