Cannabis could stop memory loss in elderly people, scientists claim

Cannabis could prevent memory loss among the elderly, scientists have claimed.

A study in Germany found that the drug could slow the brain’s natural ageing process, potentially delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers discovered that the mental power of older mice improved when they were administered THC, the psychoactive part of cannabis that gives users a ‘high’.

After taking the drug, the connections in the brains of the elderly mice were as sharp as those of young adult mice.

A trial in humans is scheduled for later this year.

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Professor Andreas Zimmer, a psychologist at Bonn University, said: ‘Chronic, low-dose treatment with THC or cannabis extracts could be a potential strategy to slow down or even reverse cognitive decline in the elderly.

‘Together, these results reveal a profound, long-lasting improvement of cognitive performance resulting from a low dose of THC treatment in mature and old animals.’

The findings were published in Nature Medicine.

Co-author Dr Andras Bilkei-Gorzo said: ‘Cannabis abuse is age-dependent. It’s a problem for younger rather than older people.

‘In safe doses the compound could improve their brains. It’s possible it could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, but that’s pure speculation.

‘We hope to start clinical trials by the end of the year with a hundred – or even hundreds – of people.’

In the study, three age groups of mice were regularly injected with low doses of THC for 28 days and given a series of tasks such as navigating a water maze and recognising other mice.

The younger mice’s performance was impaired by THC, but the same treatment in the older animals improved their memory and learning.