Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism present significant challenges to those affected, impacting motor functions with symptoms like tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, as well as nonmotor symptoms including pain, sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms collectively degrade patients' quality of life, prompting a continuous search for more effective and alternative treatments. Against this backdrop, medical cannabis has emerged as a potential therapeutic option, credited with alleviating various symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. A retrospective cohort study conducted in collaboration with the Movement Disorders Unit at Sourasky Medical Center and the Movement Disorders Center at Rabin Medical Center aimed to shed light on the effectiveness and safety of cannabis treatment in managing Parkinson’s disease.
The study encompassed 47 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism, with a significant majority being males and an average age of 64.2 years. About half of the study participants were treated with medical cannabis products from a specific company, allowing for an evaluation of the product's impact on both motor and nonmotor symptoms.
The findings from this study are noteworthy:
A high retention rate was observed, with 42 patients (89.4%) continuing active treatment, indicating the perceived benefit and tolerability of medical cannabis.
A substantial portion of patients (82.2%) reported general improvement in symptoms, highlighting the broad therapeutic potential of cannabis.
There was a noticeable decrease in falls, with reports dropping from 46.8% to 33.3%, which is significant given the risk of injury from falling in this patient population.
A majority of participants noted a decrease in overall stiffness (72.7%) and muscle tremor (73.2%), two of the most debilitating motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Pain reduction was reported by 81.4% of patients, underscoring the analgesic properties of medical cannabis.
Improvements were also seen in mood and sleep quality, reported by 76.1% and 69.6% of patients, respectively, addressing critical nonmotor symptoms that affect patients' well-being.
Despite these benefits, side effects were reported by 59.6% of patients, which is relatively high. These included confusion, anxiety, hallucinations, and psychosis, indicating the need for careful patient selection and monitoring during treatment.
This study provides valuable insights into the utility of medical cannabis in improving the symptoms and overall quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease in the early stages of treatment. The relatively few side effects, when weighed against the improvements in both motor and nonmotor symptoms, suggest that medical cannabis could be a viable option for patients seeking alternative therapies. However, the occurrence of side effects, particularly those affecting mental status, emphasizes the importance of conducting more comprehensive research to understand better the benefits and risks associated with medical cannabis in this patient population.
For further details on the study methodology, results, and implications, the full article is available at https://tikun-olam.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2017-Medical-Cannabis-in-Parkinson-Disease.pdf. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of cannabis in managing chronic diseases and highlights the need for more focused studies to pave the way for its integration into standard care practices for Parkinson’s disease.
THCannabis Marketing Team
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