The Effect of Cannabis on Dementia Related Agitation and Aggression

The most common syndrome in patients with severe dementia is agitated behavior, which is often characterized by a combination of violent behavior (physical or verbal), restlessness, and inappropriate loudness. The treatment options for this syndrome are limited and lead to severe side effects. In vivo experiments on animals and clinical studies on adults show that cannabinoids could have a beneficial effect on behavioral disorders in general, and in dementia-related disorders in particular. Additionally, medical cannabis patients have reported that cannabis aids in pain relief, increased appetite, and a sense of calm and peace of mind. Elderly patients suffering from dementia that experience this syndrome could also benefit from other quality of life aspects of the cannabis treatment such as reduction in medication consumption, weight gain and improvement of sleep.