Archive · 19 Dec 2025
Microdoses of Cannabis May Stall Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
A small study in Brazil looked at whether tiny amounts of cannabis could help people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers gave 24 older adults with mild Alzheimer's a special cannabis oil every day for 24 weeks.
This oil had very small amounts of THC and CBD, the main parts of cannabis, and didn't make people feel 'high'.
After the study, the people who took the cannabis oil didn't get worse in their memory tests, while those who took a fake treatment did.
This suggests that very small doses of cannabis might help slow down memory loss in Alzheimer's, but more research is needed to be sure.
The study is important because it shows that cannabis might be helpful without making people feel high, which could make more people open to trying it as a treatment.
A small Brazilian study found that microdoses of cannabis extract may stabilize cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.
The study involved 24 elderly patients who received daily doses of cannabis oil containing 0.3 mg each of THC and CBD for 24 weeks.
Participants who received the cannabis extract showed stabilization in their cognitive function scores, while the placebo group showed cognitive deterioration.
The study found no difference in adverse side effects between the treatment and placebo groups, likely due to the extremely low dose used.
The researchers noted that while the results are promising, the study has limitations, including a small sample size and effects limited to one dimension of the cognition scale.
- Who
- 24 elderly patients (60-80 years) with mild Alzheimer's disease
- What
- A small study investigated the effects of microdoses of cannabis extract on cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients
- When
- The study was conducted over 24 weeks
- Where
- The study was conducted in Brazil, led by professor Francisney Nascimento and colleagues at the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA)
- Why
- To explore new therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease due to the lack of curative treatments and limited effectiveness of available medications
- Study Location
- Brazil
- Study Participants
- 24 elderly patients (60-80 years) with mild Alzheimer's
- Cannabis Extract Composition
- THC and CBD in similar proportions, 0.3 mg each
- Study Duration
- 24 weeks
- Key Finding
- Stabilization in cognitive function scores for the treatment group
- Adverse Effects
- No difference in adverse side effects between treatment and placebo groups
- Study Limitations
- Small sample size, effects limited to one dimension of cognition scale