ArticleFrontiers in aging neuroscience2022
Cannabinoids for behavioral symptoms in severe dementia: Safety and feasibility in a long-term pilot observational study in nineteen patients.
Article in Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 11 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- The potential of cannabinoids in managing cancer-related anorexia in older adults: a systematic review of the literature.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2024Pooled it
- Evaluation of potential drug-drug interactions with medical cannabis.Clinical and translational science · 2024Pooled it
- Update on Cannabidiol Clinical Toxicity and Adverse Effects: A Systematic Review.Current neuropharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial on cannabinoid-based medication for behavioural disorders in old patients with severe dementia: the study results.Age and ageing · 2026Trial
- Cannabinoids for Alzheimer's disease: A promising trial, although not yet ready for the prescription pad.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026Article
- Current evidence of randomized clinical trials on hospice-eligible patients with agitation and dementia: A narrative review.Palliative & supportive care · 2025Review
- Antimicrobial, Probiotic, and Immunomodulatory Potential ofAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- CBD and THC in Special Populations: Pharmacokinetics and Drug-Drug Interactions.Pharmaceutics · 2024Review
- Alzheimer's disease, aging, and cannabidiol treatment: a promising path to promote brain health and delay aging.Molecular biology reports · 2024Review
- Drug Interactions of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol in Cannabinoid Drugs.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2023Review
- Medical cannabinoids for painful symptoms in patients with severe dementia: a randomized, double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled trial protocol.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Context: The management of behavioral symptoms and rigidity in patients with dementia constitutes a significant challenge. Short-term studies suggest an interest in the use of medical cannabis, but long-term data are lacking. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and long-term safety of administering tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol (THC/CBD) treatment as an additional drug to a poly medicated population with severe dementia, evaluate clinical improvements, and collect information on the pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids and possible drug-drug interactions. Methods: A prospective observational study of patients with severe dementia living in a long-term care home to whom the physicians had prescribed a medical cannabis treatment. Data were collected over 2 years. We assessed the changes in medical cannabis dosages, safety parameters, variations in neuropsychiatric problems, agitation, rigidity, the most invalidating daily activity, and disabling behavior trouble scores. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids by measuring plasma levels and analyzing the enzymatic activity. Results: We assessed 19 patients (81.4 years-17 women and two men) receiving an average of 12.4 mg THC/24.8 mg CBD per day for up to 13 months, with no reported problems related to the treatment and limited adverse drug reactions. Clinical scores showed a marked improvement that was stable over time, deprescription of other medications, and care facilitated. The pharmacokinetic evaluation showed an expected slight reduction in the enzymatic activity of CYP1A2 and CYP2C19. Conclusion: A long-term THC/CBD (1:2) medication can be administered safely and with overall positive clinical improvement to poly medicated older adults with severe dementia and associated problems. The results must be confirmed in a randomized trial.
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Registered trials
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