To: mayday@yahoogroups.com
CC:
From:
Date: 23 Feb 2005 19:54:27 -0800
Subject: [mayday] Yahoo! News Story - Marijuana-like Ingredient Could Slow Alzheimer's

(pieman1024@...) has sent you a news article. (Email address has not been verified.)

Personal message:

Marijuana-like Ingredient Could Slow Alzheimer's
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/hsn/20050223/hl_hsn/marijuanalikeingredientcouldslowalzheimers

---

Yahoo!   My Yahoo!   Mail
	Sign In New User? Sign Up
			News Home - Help

Personalize News Home Page

Yahoo! News   Wed, Feb 23, 2005

Search All NewsYahoo! News OnlyNews PhotosAudio/Video for    Advanced

News Home Top Stories U.S. National Business World Entertainment Sports Technology Politics Science Health    Weight Loss    Sexual Health    Medications/Drugs    Parenting/Kids    Seniors/Aging    Diseases/Conditions Most Popular Oddly Enough Op/Ed Local Comics News Photos Most Popular Weather Audio/Video Full Coverage Full Coverage More about Alzheimer's Disease Related News Stories • Marijuana-like Ingredient Could Slow Alzheimer's HealthDay via Yahoo! News (Feb 23, 2005) • Marijuana may block Alzheimer's at BBC (Feb 23, 2005) • Nursing Home Drug May Speed Alzheimer's HealthDay via Yahoo! News (Feb 17, 2005) Opinion & Editorials • Take a hike, Grampa at Toledo Blade (Oct 4, 2004) • For President, AIDS was a blind spot at NY Daily News (Jun 8, 2004) Feature Articles • Alzheimer's anxiety at MSNBC (Nov 22, 2004) • Stopping Alzheimer's at Science News (Aug 6, 2004) Related Web Sites • Yahoo! Health: Alzheimer's Disease • Alzheimer's Association • Alzheimer Research Forum How to Help • Network for Good : Alzheimer's Disease News Resources Providers · Reuters · AP · HealthDay · ACS News Today · AFP · CP Services · News Alerts News Alerts more Subscribe to alerts for Alzheimer's disease More News Alerts News via RSS Health News Health All RSS Feeds

Health - HealthDay Marijuana-like Ingredient Could Slow Alzheimer's Wed Feb 23, 5:02 PM ET  Health - HealthDay By Janice Billingsley HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- By suppressing inflammation in the brain, a synthetic marijuana compound could potentially offer some protection against Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites), Spanish scientists report. Yahoo! Health Have questions about your health? Find answers here.   The researchers, who studied the brain tissue of deceased Alzheimer's patients, discovered that many of these patients lose the function of important cannabinoid brain receptors, which seem to guard against cognitive decline. They further discovered in a rat study involving synthetic marijuana that when these brain receptors were working, they reduced the brain inflammation that is associated with Alzheimer's. "This is the first time the effects of such damage have been found in Alzheimer's patients," said study co-author Maria de Ceballos, head of the neurodegeneration group at the Cajal Institute, Spain's largest neuroscience research center, in Madrid. "Previously, it has been known only in those with acute brain damage from trauma." The findings appear in the Feb. 23 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The researchers studied cannabinoid receptors called CB1 and CB2, which are proteins that bind with cannabinoids, the active ingredients of marijuana. The synergy between these receptors and cannabinoids are known to provide protective effects against inflammation in the brain. In the first part of their study, they compared the brain tissue of deceased Alzheimer's patients to similar tissue from healthy people who had died at the same age. Those who suffered from Alzheimer's had significantly reduced functioning of their cannabinoid receptors compared to the healthy group, which meant those with the disease had lost the capacity to experience the protective effects of cannabinoids. Then, in a series of rat experiments, the scientists found cannabinoids reduced inflammation in the brain and prevented cognitive decline. To find this, the researchers injected amyloid, a protein that activates immune cells and leads to cognitive decline, into the brains of one group of rats. Another group of rats received injections of a control protein. A third group of rats were injected with cannabinoids along with amyloid, and a last group received cannabinoids with the control protein. After two months, the researchers trained the rats over five days to find a platform hidden underwater. Rats treated with the control protein -- with or without the cannabinoids -- and those treated with the amyloid protein and the cannabinoids were able to find the platform. The rats treated with the amyloid protein alone did not learn how to find the platform. The scientists further confirmed that the amyloid protein activated the rats' brains' immune cells, causing inflammation, but that the cannabinoids counteracted this effect and reduced the inflammation. de Ceballos said the findings suggest that those who are known to be at risk for Alzheimer's could benefit from using cannabinoids to slow the progression of the disease. But she added that much work remains to be done before this can be put to clinical use. Alzheimer's experts also warned this is very preliminary work because it only studied tissue in animals to find the beneficial effects of the cannabinoids, and, as such, is far from an endorsement of marijuana use in preventing Alzheimer's. "The paper doesn't reflect any thought that people should use marijuana as any kind of therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's. It would be irresponsible to suggest that," said William Thies, vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. By looking at a new possible agent that could be useful in moderating the pathology of Alzheimer's, he said, the study joins others examining the possible ways that the disease advances, including the effects of cholesterol, inflammation and the presence of amyloid proteins. "Certainly every one of these papers that gives us new possibilities to explore is welcome," he said. More information Information about the amyloid protein that is a part of Alzheimer's disease can be found at The National Institute of Aging. Story Tools  Email Story   Post/Read Msgs   Print Story   Ratings: Would you recommend this story? Not at all 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 Highly Special Feature Missed Tech Tuesday? Check our DVR Special. Is TiVo the best one available? Next Story: Study: Drinking Triples Injury Risk (HealthDay) More Health Stories · Judge Extends Stay in Right-To-Die Case   (AP) · More Studies Slam Secondhand Smoke  (American Cancer Society) · Scientists discover a key to how AIDS virus attacks the body  (AFP) · Vietnam Appeals for Help in Bird Flu Fight  (Reuters) · U.S. Prepares to Test Bird Flu Vaccine   (AP) ADVERTISEMENT Online Graduate Degrees in Health • Online Graduate Degrees in Health • Browse All Health Programs from Yahoo! Education

Copyright © 2005 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment. Medical information changes rapidly and while Yahoo and its content providers make efforts to update the content on the site, some information may be out of date. No health information on Yahoo, including information about herbal therapies and other dietary supplements, is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. Questions or Comments Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright Policy - Ad Feedback

============================================================
M M     M M    M M     M M    M M     M M    Come to the
M M M M M M    M M M M M M    M M M M M M   INTERNATIONAL
M M M M M M    M M M M M M    M M M M M M      MILLION
M M  M  M M    M M  M  M M    M M  M  M M     MARIJUANA
M M     M M    M M     M M    M M     M M       MARCH
M M     M M    M M     M M    M M     M M    May 1, 1999
============================================================