New research has found that the combination of CBD and THC significantly reduces agitation for people with dementia who are at the end of their lives. Dr. Jeff Keller of LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is one of the principal investigators of the clinical trial.
“The findings from our current study are sufficient and should lead to individuals talking to their doctors about the potential use of THC to manage agitation,” Keller noted.
In severe dementia and in the late stages of life, agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom. Keller says the symptoms include vocal outbursts, verbal hostility, hitting and throwing of property.
“It’s very troublesome for the loved ones trying to care for the individuals and, quite frankly, they make it more difficult for the staff at the places where many of these folks reside,” Keller said.
Keller says nine out of every ten study participants showed overall improvement in target symptoms from the THC-CBD combination, which is remarkable. He says these results offer new hope for providing greater comfort and dignity to people with advanced dementia at the end of their lives. However, Keller says more research is needed to see if this type of treatment can help those with mid- and late-stage Alzheimer’s.
“I can’t say enough about how impactful and how dramatic this study was in terms of impact versus negative outcomes. But it doesn’t answer all the questions,” Keller remarked.