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Tetrahydrocannabinol is especially effective on persons like myself who
enjoy a level of intellect that is superior to the crétins who post
their poorly worded idiocies in newsgroups.
Active ingredient in pot may help preserve brain function
Updated: 4:31 p.m. ET Oct. 5, 2006
WASHINGTON - Good news for aging hippies: smoking pot may stave off
Alzheimer's disease.
New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent
the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important
neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function.
Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that
marijuana's active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC,
can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down more
effectively than commercially marketed drugs.
THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can
inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer's patients, the researchers
reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
The researchers said their discovery could lead to more effective drug
treatment for Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia among the
elderly.
Those afflicted with Alzheimer's suffer from memory loss, impaired
decision-making, and diminished language and movement skills. The
ultimate cause of the disease is unknown, though it is believed to be
hereditary.
Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects
from cancer and AIDS treatment. |
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