Researchers In Norway Explore Cannabis Treatments And Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that attacks the nervous system and involves the patient experiencing tremors, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movements. The condition seems to mainly affect middle-aged and elderly people.

Scientific research has found that Parkinson’s disease can be caused by both genetic and environmental conditions, although there is still a great deal about the condition that is unknown.

It is estimated that as many as 10 million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease worldwide, with men being 1.5 times as likely to be diagnosed with the condition compared to women.

Researchers in Norway recently examined cannabis as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s disease, and the results provide hope. Below is more information about it via a NORML news release:

Bergen, Norway: Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often report symptomatic benefits from the use of cannabis, according to survey data published in the journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavica.

Norwegian investigators surveyed cannabis use patterns and related attitudes among PD patients. Consistent with prior surveys, they reported that a significant minority of PD patients consume cannabis for symptom relief. Respondents were most likely to report improvements in motor function, sleep, and pain as a result of their marijuana use.

Observational trial data has determined that cannabis inhalation is associated with improvements in tremor, rigidity, pain, sleep, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement) in patients with PD. Placebo-controlled trial data has also determined that acute CBD administration (300mg) is associated with a statistically significant reduction in experimentally-induced anxiety and tremor in PD patients.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use in Parkinson’s disease: A nationwide online survey,” appears inActa Neurologica Scandinavica. Additional information on cannabis and PD is available from NORML.