From a Single Patient to a Clinical Trial
Inspired by these findings, the researchers initially tested cannabis microdosing in a single Alzheimer’s patient over 22 months. Cognitive performance, assessed using the ADAS-Cog scale, showed improvement.
Encouraged by this result, the team conducted a more robust, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess whether similar effects could be observed in a larger group.
What the Researchers Found
Several clinical scales were used to evaluate the impact of cannabis treatment. Improvement was observed on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a widely used tool for assessing cognitive function in dementia patients.
After 24 weeks, patients receiving the cannabis extract showed stabilization of MMSE scores, while those in the placebo group experienced cognitive decline. The effect size was modest but clinically relevant: patients in the treatment group scored two to three points higher than those receiving placebo (the maximum MMSE score is 30).
Given the relatively short duration of the study and the mild to moderate level of impairment among participants, large cognitive gains were not expected.
The cannabis extract did not improve non-cognitive symptoms such as depression, general health, or overall quality of life. Importantly, there was no difference in adverse side effects between the groups, likely due to the extremely low doses used.
These findings align with previous research suggesting that declining endocannabinoid signaling during aging may leave the brain more vulnerable to cognitive deterioration. Cannabinoids may help protect cognition, in part, by reducing inflammation in the brain.
A New Paradigm: Cannabis Without the “High”
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