Researchers at the University of Kentucky (UK) are part of a groundbreaking clinical trial exploring the use of medical marijuana in managing symptoms of late-stage dementia. The National Institutes of Health-funded and Food and Drug Administration-approved LiBBY Study examines the potential benefits of cannabis-derived treatments for addressing agitation and discomfort in patients with advanced dementia, a population with limited palliative care options.
Greg Jicha, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist and director of clinical trials at UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, says there is a pressing need for alternative treatments.
“Until we find a cure for dementias, there will always be a stage where the focus shifts to comfort and quality of life,” Jicha explained. “Unfortunately, our current methods – such as sedatives and antipsychotics – often come with significant side effects. We need options that allow patients to remain alert, engaged and cared for at home or in skilled facilities.”
Dementia not only takes an emotional toll on patients, but on their families. Jicha says through his decades of work in the field that is one of the most difficult aspects of the disease.
“There’s nothing more painful to family members than watching their loved one with dementia agitated, fearful or frightful,” he shared. “It really is torture to family members.”
This profound distress often leaves families feeling helpless as they witness a loved one’s struggle with behaviors that can disrupt care and quality of life. By exploring the potential of medical marijuana to alleviate these symptoms, the study aims to offer a new avenue of hope and relief for both patients and their caregivers.
The LiBBY Study is named after a late-stage dementia patient whose lack of treatment options for agitation symptoms motivated the search for potential alternatives, like medical marijuana. The study’s aim is to build evidence-based knowledge about the effects of THC and CBD on dementia symptoms.
“We know that cannabinoid receptors in the brain are tied to emotional regulation,” said Jicha. “This could be an opportunity to bring peace and even improve interactions between patients and their families in the final stages of life.”
The research aligns closely with the expanding role of palliative care at UK, an area spearheaded by Jessica McFarlin, M.D., division chief of UK HealthCare’s Palliative and Supportive Care. The program at UK has grown into one of the most robust in the state, addressing a wide spectrum of serious illnesses.
H/T: www.miragenews.com
You can view the whole article at this link Researchers Study Cannabis For Late-stage Dementia
