Extract from the IACM 5th Conference on Cannabinoids on THC and schizophrenia

[Guest guest]

Here is a link to the full conference:

www.cannabis-med.org/meeting/Cologne2009/reader.pdf


METABOLIC ABNORMALITIES, ABNORMAL STRESS RESPONSE AND CHRONIC

INFLAMMATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA – POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR

CANNABINOID MEDICINES?

Robson PJ

1,2

, Guy GW2

1

Oxford University Dept of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK

2

GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder with a worldwide lifetime prevalence of

approximately 1%, and a peak incidence between the ages of 15 – 25 years for males and 25 – 35

for women. It typically manifests through a mixture of positive symptoms (hallucinations,

delusions, thought disorder), negative symptoms (loss of motivation, social withdrawal, lack of

affect, anhedonia), and cognitive deficits. This diversity has led to calls to move away from a

concept of monotherapy and instead to target narrower ranges of symptoms with separate drugs

alongside psychological and social interventions.

Schizophrenia is not simply a brain disease. Evidence summarised in this review will

demonstrate that in at least a proportion of patients it is also linked to both natural and iatrogenic

metabolic abnormalities, hyperadrenalism and an exaggerated HPA response to stress, and

chronic systemic inflammation. Alongside the expected emotional, perceptual and behavioural

problems, patients may present with obesity, dyslipidaemia, impaired glucose tolerance or

diabetes mellitus; symptoms and signs of an abnormal stress reaction; susceptibility to certain

infections and haematological evidence of chronic systemic inflammation. Symptomatic

diversity may thus be an even bigger challenge than hitherto appreciated.

In recent years much concern has arisen over the possibility that cannabis smoking in

adolescence may be a risk factor for schizophrenia in adult life, although this remains a

controversial issue. In contrast, considerable interest in the potential role of the non-psychoactive

naturally occurring cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) as an anti-psychotic medicine has also

developed.

The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of both THC and CBD are well

established. A systematic literature review has suggested the intriguing possibility that habitual

cannabis use may protect cognitive function in schizophrenia patients, and CBD has been shown

to improve a marker of this in healthy subjects. There are preliminary data to suggest that

cannabinoids may have beneficial effects on abnormal stress reaction, metabolic dysfunction and

dyslipidaemia. Since the mechanism of action for the anti-psychotic effects of CBD and other

cannabinoids almost certainly differs from all existing agents, synergistic combinations with

both typical and atypical antipsychotics are a possibility.

Taken overall, these observations lead to the hypothesis that an appropriately formulated

medicine containing a combination of selected cannabinoids may have the potential to target all

the major components of the schizophrenia syndrome and thereby significantly reduce the need
for polypharmacy.


take care
john

[Syn]

A worthy read ,,

Definatley worth printing

[Guest superbluehaze]

it is my friend;

take care,

john

[Glocalgrower]

How did I miss this?

Thanks for the link, I'll dig into when I get time...

[Guest superbluehaze]

you are welcome Fuzzy and Glocalgrower,

I am learning too all time, mate,

take care,

john

[psychotropia]

It will be true that Schizophrenia is not simply a brain disease. Herbal Medicines