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Marijuana Compound Removes Alzheimer’s Plaque From Brain Cells, Study Finds Alzheimer’s disease may now be added to a list of diseases with promising treatment from cannabis compounds, a new study (http://ift.tt/294H5zV) from the Salk Institute says. While there has been research and trials to use compounds to treat chronic pain, cancers, epilepsy, and other diseases and illnesses, this laboratory study is the first of its kind to test tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a main component in marijuana, against the plaque buildup of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers took human neurons that they grew in a lab and altered them so that they created the plaque buildup (comprised of proteins such as beta-amyloid). The researchers then subjected the neurons to amounts of THC and other marijuana compounds. What they found was that not only did the THC cause a breakdown of the protein buildup, but a reduction in inflammation in the cells. Inflammation is bad because it makes it harder for your neurons to communicate with one another correctly. See http://ift.tt/299TjJI