Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol for nighttime agitation in severe dementia

Psychopharmacology
Sebastian WaltherDieter Kunz

Abstract

Nighttime agitation occurs frequently in patients with dementia and represents the number one burden on caregivers today. Current treatment options are few and limited due to substantial side effects. The aim of the study was to measure the effect of the cannabinoid dronabinol on nocturnal motor activity. In an open-label pilot study, six consecutive patients in the late stages of dementia and suffering from circadian and behavioral disturbances-five patients with Alzheimer's disease and one patient with vascular dementia-were treated with 2.5 mg dronabinol daily for 2 weeks. Motor activity was measured objectively using actigraphy. Compared to baseline, dronabinol led to a reduction in nocturnal motor activity (P=0.028). These findings were corroborated by improvements in Neuropsychiatric Inventory total score (P=0.027) as well as in subscores for agitation, aberrant motor, and nighttime behaviors (P<0.05). No side effects were observed. The study suggests that dronabinol was able to reduce nocturnal motor activity and agitation in severely demented patients. Thus, it appears that dronabinol may be a safe new treatment option for behavioral and circadian disturbances in dementia.

References

Nov 1, 1975·Journal of Psychiatric Research·M F FolsteinP R McHugh
Jan 1, 1992·International Psychogeriatrics·S G Sclan, B Reisberg
Feb 12, 1999·Neurobiology of Disease·C S Breivogel, S R Childers
Apr 22, 1999·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·T HopeR McShane
May 1, 2001·The American Journal of Psychiatry·L VolicerA Satlin
Oct 30, 2001·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·R HébertC Cohen
Apr 27, 2002·Science·Rachel I Wilson, Roger A Nicoll
May 31, 2002·Pharmacological Reviews·A C HowlettR G Pertwee
Feb 18, 2003·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Kirsten R Müller-VahlUdo Schneider
Mar 22, 2003·Clinical Pharmacokinetics·Franjo Grotenhermen
Apr 29, 2003·The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry·Kirsten R Müller-VahlHinderk M Emrich
Feb 25, 2005·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Belén G RamírezMaría L de Ceballos

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 15, 2007·Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie·R Mahlberg, S Walther
Oct 24, 2007·Molecular Neurobiology·Cristina BenitoJulián Romero
Oct 31, 2012·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Andras Bilkei-Gorzo
Sep 14, 2006·Pharmacological Reviews·Pál PacherGeorge Kunos
Jun 7, 2011·Drugs & Aging·Melanie-Jayne R Howes, Elaine Perry
Nov 6, 2013·European Neuropsychopharmacology : the Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Rawaha AhmadMathieu Vandenbulcke
May 15, 2009·Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology·Glenn SchwarczRichard McCarthy
Mar 28, 2012·Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets·Tim KarlJonathon C Arnold
Aug 17, 2010·Pharmaceuticals·Sebastian Walther, Michael Halpern
Nov 20, 2014·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Sabrina GiacoppoEmanuela Mazzon
Jul 9, 2008·The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·Sebastian WaltherWerner Strik
Apr 20, 2013·The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·Matthew R WoodwardJames M Ellison
Sep 20, 2011·Pharmacology & Therapeutics·Andrew J HillGary J Stephens
Nov 13, 2015·The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·Geke A H van den ElsenMarcel G M Olde Rikkert
Mar 4, 2008·Sleep Medicine Reviews·Thomas SchierenbeckMagdolna Hornyak
Oct 24, 2007·Pharmacological Research : the Official Journal of the Italian Pharmacological Society·Vincenzo MicaleFilippo Drago
Sep 11, 2007·British Journal of Pharmacology·V A Campbell, A Gowran
Oct 16, 2007·British Journal of Pharmacology·C BenitoJ Romero
Nov 11, 2011·CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics·Elaine Perry, Melanie-Jayne R Howes
Nov 1, 2013·British Journal of Pharmacology·S G Fagan, V A Campbell
Jul 2, 2010·British Journal of Pharmacology·Emma L ScotterMichelle Glass
Mar 20, 2015·Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics·Aia AhmedMgm Olde Rikkert
May 15, 2015·Neurology·Geke A H van den ElsenMarcel G M Olde Rikkert
Feb 11, 2014·Ageing Research Reviews·G A H van den ElsenM G M Olde Rikkert
Mar 19, 2014·Frontiers in Pharmacology·Ester Aso, Isidre Ferrer
Apr 26, 2016·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Rosaliana LibroEmanuela Mazzon
May 28, 2016·Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs·Ricardo P GarayPierre-Michel Llorca
Apr 16, 2009·International Review of Psychiatry·José Martínez OrgadoJulián Romero
Jun 21, 2017·Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports·Megan Weier, Wayne Hall
May 17, 2018·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics·Byron CreeseClive Ballard
May 18, 2018·Surgical Neurology International·Joseph Maroon, Jeff Bost
Jul 25, 2018·Neurodegenerative Disease Management·Rajesh R TampiDeena J Tampi
Apr 17, 2009·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Sarada KrishnanRobert Howard
Mar 21, 2012·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Ki-Yeol Yoo, So-Young Park
Dec 20, 2017·Current Opinion in Psychiatry·Chelsea ShermanNathan Herrmann
Dec 18, 2007·International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry·Michael J Passmore
Apr 11, 2007·Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences·Thomas Blass
Sep 30, 2010·CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics·Aoife GowranVeronica A Campbell
Jul 3, 2018·Current Neuropharmacology·Giuseppina TalaricoCarlo de Lena
Nov 9, 2018·Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience·Ethan B Russo

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.