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Dementia medical cannabis treatment

Dementia is a group of debilitating diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, that injure and damage the brain, gradually effecting, and limiting the ability of, the memory and control centres in the brain. There are a range of medications that can be prescribed to alleviate or manage the symptoms of dementia, and medical cannabis is one of these options.

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55 million +

people around the world have dementia

Over 70%

say cannabis consumption boosts their appetite

Over 50%

of medical cannabis patients report improvements in anxiety and depression

22%

average decrease in NPI scores after one month of cannabis-based treatment

“The Releaf+ subscription simplifies the entire process of my medical cannabis treatment.“

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Nigel, Releaf Patient

October 2023

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Articles on Dementia

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14. 07. 2023

Can cannabinoids improve the symptoms of dementia?

Although there is limited research on cannabinoid treatment for dementia, emerging studies are indicating medical cannabis significantly improved a variety of dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms. Dementia is characterised by a progressive decline of brain function that initially affects cognition, but some patients become unpredictable and increasingly restless as their condition deteriorates. Cannabinoids potentially can ease anxiety, frustration, and agitation associated with dementia.

24. 01. 2024

Caring for carers for Race Against Dementia Day

This week holds special significance because Sunday was Race Against Dementia Day, a day that brings awareness to a condition that affects almost 10% of those over 65 in the UK. So, we decided to mark this day by discussing an aspect of Dementia care that is often overlooked: the carers themselves.

14. 07. 2023

A comprehensive guide to cannabidiol and neurological disorders

Neurological disorders. Varied, potentially devastating, and hard to group into one easy-to-digest category. They are essentially diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system conditions and include epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, ALS, Bell's palsy, and a huge range of separate neuromuscular disorders. 

Symptoms

Increasing forgetfulness

Losing track of time

Feeling Confused

Getting lost in familiar places

Having trouble putting sentences together

Weight loss

Anxiety

Irritation and agitation

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, you may have dementia. Please speak with your GP to find out more.

Alternative medicines

There are a number of licensed medications that your GP can prescribe to alleviate symptoms, and treatments like talking therapies can be recommended to slow the diseases’ progression, but unfortunately, there is still no cure for dementia. These options offer relief for a range of different symptoms, and recently, medical cannabis treatments have emerged as a popular alternative or addition to conventional dementia treatment and support plans.

Donepezil

Rivastigmine

Galantamine

Memantine

Talking therapies

Person centred care

If you are struggling to manage your symptoms and have already tried two conventional treatments to manage dementia, medical cannabis treatments may be suitable for you. Use our free eligibility tool to find out now.
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A word from our specialist

"Neurological conditions are many and varied in how they can affect us. The more recognised conditions that are treatable with medical cannabis include epilepsy, where CBD mimics the action of the many anti-epileptic drugs; and multiple sclerosis, which the NHS can prescribe Sativex for. Medical Cannabis offers greater flexibility in the delivery of cannabinoid therapy for these conditions and hope in other areas of neurology, such as in the neurodegenerative conditions and the motor disorders."
Dr David Tang

Clinic Director

Does medical cannabis benefit dementia?

Because dementia affects a person’s health as well as their mind, there are a myriad of dementia symptoms that stop them from being able to perform their usual activities, which in turn can cause a dramatic decline in quality of life and mental health. 

But, medical cannabis has shown potential in alleviating several symptoms of dementia including anxiety, depression, and agitation, as well as improving overall quality of life, appetite, and create weight gain. 

Although there are a number of conventional medications prescribed to treat individual symptoms of dementia, medical cannabis can combat multiple symptoms at once, and so patients who are unable to find relief with conventional medicines may be considered eligible for medical cannabis. 

One of the most common ways a person’s dementia is assessed is using a symptom severity scale called the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), which goes up to a maximum severity score of 144 points. Researchers in a small-scale study have observed that with cannabis-based treatments, overall NPI score reduced by 31.6 points. 

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