Breakthrough: New CBD Research Impact on Neurodegenerative Diseases
New research¹ has found that even a single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) can significantly increase blood flow in the brain in ways that can immediately and positively help our memories, our social behavior, and even the way that we make decisions.
In a strictly controlled randomized, crossover, double-blind design study, researchers at the Institute of Mental Health at University College London in the UK asked the question of how using CBD might have an impact on blood flow in our brains.
They discovered that, with one 600 mg dose of CBD, the speed of their participants’ working memory increased in a significant way.
These findings reveal two profound and positive effects on the human brain.
First, with CBD use, the Institute of Mental Health found that there’s an increase in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. That’s the area of the brain responsible for how we engage with the world, how we put information together, and how we manage problems. The prefrontal cortex is the place where our executive functions operate, where we thoughtfully manage our day-to-day needs.
Second, the Institute of Mental Health also indicates that there’s also an increase of blood flow to the hippocampus with CBD use. The hippocampus is where we store our emotions, learning, and memory, and call on these to make decisions. With increased blood flow, operations in the brain work more smoothly, and we can access what we need when we need it.
While all of this is excellent news for healthy people who can benefit from CBD, it also proves beneficial for people who a range of conditions associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other diseases.
We know that neurodegenerative diseases such as these, as well as epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and other forms of dementia and seizures are nervous system disorders known to have been directly improved by CBD, from research that goes back more than thirty years². While, for example, we have found that CBD can have extremely positive effects on patients with schizophrenia³ who have had difficulties with standard pharmaceuticals, it’s never been evident why exactly this is the case.
Today, we know why.
Before this new study, the mechanisms underlying those effects were unclear. Clinicians, such as Dr. Tanya Edwards⁴ of the Center for Integrative Medicine in the United States, had suggested that Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and Parkinson’s disease may all be related to chronic inflammation in the body. We also know that CBD might counter these patterns.
Given that CBD reduces inflammation, theoretically, less inflammation means that our blood and other fluids can move more easily through the body.
The conclusions drawn from the findings at the Institute of Mental Health suggest that CBD does just that. And, even better, because of these important and groundbreaking findings, we know that CBD will continue to be investigated as an way to improve our overall health. These results mean that CBD will also be studied as a potential treatment for several medical conditions, especially those that are characterized by altered memory processing.
The powerful, health-giving mechanisms of CBD continue to astound and intrigue scientists.
We now know that CBD makes it easier for the body, including the brain, to do the work it needs to do. In using CBD regularly as part of a healthy life plan, we can process information better, gain clarity on the world around us, and more easily adapt to the challenges we face every day.
Isn’t that what we all need right now?
-Klee
1. Bloomfield, M. A., Green, S. F., Hindocha, C., Yamamori, Y., Yim, J. L. L., Jones, A. P., … & Curran, H. V. (2020). The effects of acute cannabidiol on cerebral blood flow and its relationship to memory: An arterial spin labelling magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 0269881120936419. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881120936419
2. Langner, J., & Zajicek, A. (2017). Social construction of drug policies and target populations: US Policy and media discourse. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Sociologica, (Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Sociologica nr 62/2017).
3. Crippa, J. A., Zuardi, A. W., & Guimaraes, F. S. (2018). 17.4 Possible mechanisms involved in the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol (CBD). Schizophrenia Bulletin, 44(Suppl 1), S28; McGuire, P., Robson, P., Cubała, W., Vasile, D., Morrison, P., Barron, R., … & Wright, S. (2018). 17.1 A randomized controlled trial of cannabidiol in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 44(suppl_1), S27.
4. Edwards, T. (2005). Inflammation, pain, and chronic disease: an integrative approach to treatment and prevention. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 11(6), 20.
