1. It's not just "forgetfulness", the real pain of dementia
When many people think of dementia, they first think of "forgetfulness".
However, in reality, what patients, families, and caregivers suffer the most is "behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD)".
For example, wandering, verbal abuse, hallucinations, anxiety, day-night reversal, refusal behavior, etc.
These are major problems that make daily life and nursing care more difficult than memory loss.
BPSD is painful for the person himself and at the same time is a factor that increases the burden on those around him, so it is essential to understand and respond to it from an early stage.
2. Even though the number of new drugs increases, the reality is that they are not meeting expectations
Donepezil, memantine, and more recently, aducanumab, and other therapeutic drugs that aim to "intervene in the disease itself" are appearing one after another.
These are intended to slow down the progression of cognitive function and are not originally expected to have an effect on BPSD (behavioral and psychological symptoms).
On the contrary, there are cases where BPSD is exacerbated by the side effects of these drugs without the person or family noticing it.
For example, changes such as "restlessness", "insomnia", and "hallucinations" were thought to be the progression of the disease, but in fact they were the effects of medication.
3. That's where CBD is attracting attention
Against this backdrop, CBD (cannabidiol) has been attracting attention in recent years.
CBD has no psychoactive effects or addiction and is highly safe, which is why research is being conducted for medical applications around the world.
In particular, clinical reports have shown improvements in symptoms such as "anxiety," "anxiety," and "hallucinations" for BPSD, suggesting that it may reduce stress among caregivers.
Randomized controlled trials are also underway overseas, and further evidence is expected to increase in the future.
4. It may also suppress the progression of dementia itself.
CBD is not only suppressing BPSD, but also has the potential to slow the progression of dementia itself.
Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain are believed to cause neuronal degeneration and death, and CBD has been reported to help suppress these reactions.
Animal studies have also confirmed that CBD inhibits the accumulation of amyloid β and maintains neuroplasticity in the brain, which is involved in memory.
Human research is still limited, but it is expected to have the potential to be used as a "dementia progression inhibitor" in the future.
5. Is CBD safe? Can it be used in Japan?
Studies to date have reported that CBD is relatively safe and has fewer side effects in older adults.
However, it is not approved as a drug in Japan, and depending on the product,THC (psychoactive component)There are cases where it is contaminated, so be careful.
It is important to choose a reliable product, that the content is clearly determined, and that you consult with your doctor when using it.
6. Conclusion: As a new option to support "that person's personality"
A treatment that completely stops the progression of dementia has not yet been established.
However, there is great hope that options like CBD are emerging that have fewer side effects and may reduce the suffering of the person and their family.
While we hope that further research will progress in the future and new perspectives on dementia care will expand, it is important to first know the correct information and explore what we can do.
7. How does CBD reduce inflammation in the brain? ──Relationship with microglia
In recent years, not only amyloid β have been the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but also chronic inflammation in the brain (neuroinflammation).
Immune cells in the brain called "microglia" play a central role in this inflammation.
Normally, microglia are responsible for monitoring the brain's environment and processing foreign substances.
However, when amyloid β, tau protein abnormalities, and oxidative stress accumulate, microglia become overactive and release inflammatory substances (such as IL-1β and TNF-α), which in turn damage nerve cells.
Several basic studies have reported that CBD can reduce the excessive activation of these microglia and keep the brain's inflammatory response calm.
It has also been suggested that it may realign microglia from "excessive aggressors" to "repair agents" by promoting the production of cytokines (e.g., IL-10) that induce inflammation in a calming direction.
In this way, CBD also has the potential to be an "immunomodulator that calms the brain", and future research is expected to be not limited to just a countermeasure against BPSD, but also as a means of suppressing the progression of dementia itself.
