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Overview of Central Nervous System Disorders

Central nervous system disorders are a broad category of conditions or diseases that affect the spinal cord or brain. There are many different types of central nervous system disorders, some of which include epilepsy, migraine, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette syndrome, dystonia, multiple sclerosis, meningitis, lupus, fibromyalgia, and bipolar disorder. While central nervous system disorders can vary greatly from each other, all the disorders cause a loss of sufficient, intact nervous system circuits that orchestrate particular functions.

The damage that leads to or causes central nervous system disorders can include trauma, infections, degeneration, congenital problems, structural defects, tumors, blood flow disruption and autoimmune disorders.

Symptoms associated with central nervous system disorders vary depending on the specific condition, but can include headaches, tingling or loss of feeling, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, loss of sight or double vision, memory loss, impaired mental ability, lack or coordination, tremors and seizures, muscle rigidity, and back pain.

Most central nervous system disorders cannot be cured, but medications, therapy, surgery and other treatment options can help limit their progression and manage associated symptoms.

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Findings: Effects of Cannabis on Central Nervous System Disorders

Studies have shown that cannabis has neuroprotective effects, and in turn supports the health of the brain and spinal cord and helps in the treatment of a variety of central nervous system disorders. The cannabinoids found in cannabis, including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have shown they effectively protect neurons and astrocytes from damage, modulate inflammatory reaction and assist in neuroregeneration (Lafuente, et al., 2011) (Kubajewska & Constantinescu, 2010) (Croxford, et al., 2008).

CBD and THC activate the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) of the endocannabinoid system, which plays a significant regulatory role in health and disease (Pacher, Batkai & Kunos, 2006) (Di Marzo, Bifulco & De Petrocellis, 2004). The upregulation of the endocannabinoid system has shown to reduce the severity of symptoms like neuropathic pain and muscle spasms and slow the progression of central nervous system disorders like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and others (Di Marzo, Bifulco & De Petrocellis, 2004) (Pertwee, 2006) (Pacher, Batkai & Kunos, 2006). Studies also show that cannabinoids reduce the debilitating seizures caused by epilepsy and reduce spasms experienced by those with multiple sclerosis, and minimize the neurological damage caused by spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries (Iuvone, et al., 2004) (More & Choi, 2015) (Blair, Deshpande & DeLorenzo, 2015) (Lakhan & Rowland, 2009).

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Alzheimer’s Disease

Cannabis slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by slowing the production of beta-amyloid proteins, considered the key contributor to the disease’s progression (Iuvone, et al., 2004). It also protects brain cells from the deleterious effects of amyloid-beta, reduces inflammation, and supports the brain’s repair process by enhancing the birth of new cells (Campbell & Gowran, 2007).

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Dystonia

Cannabis reduces the involuntary muscle contractions associated with dystonia (Consroe, Sandyk & Snider, 1986).

 

Epilepsy

CBD has been shown to effectively and significantly decrease the frequency of seizures and in some cases has even shown to produce complete seizure freedom (Blair, Deshpande & DeLorenzo, 2015).

 

Fibromyalgia

Studies have found that cannabis is effective at improving sleep disruption, pain, depression, joint stiffness, anxiety, physical function and quality of life in individuals with fibromyalgia (de Souza Nascimento, et al., 2013) (Russo, 2004).

 

Lupus

Cannabis reduces inflammation, thus potentially offering therapeutic benefit to those with lupus, and can reduce pain associated with the disorder (Nagarkatti, et al., 2009) (Clayton, Marshall, Bountra & O’Shaughnessy, 2002).

 

Migraines

Through activation of the cannabinoid receptors, cannabis inhibits the pain response caused by migraines (Akerman, Holland, Lasalandra & Goardsby, 2013) (Baron, 2015) (Greco, et al., 2014).

 

Multiple Sclerosis

Cannabis reduces pain and muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and helps slow the disease’s progression (Lakhan & Rowland, 2009) (Pacher, Batkai & Kunos, 2006). One animal study found that cannabinoids reduced damage to myelin caused from inflammation, thereby providing neuroprotection (Pryce, et al., 2003).

 

Parkinson’s Disease

Cannabis’ neuroprotective effects and ability to encourage cell health reduces the progression of Parkinson’s disease (More & Choi, 2015). It has also shown to help manage the tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, motor disability and impairments, sleep problems and pain associated with the disorder (Lotan, Treves, Roditi & Djaldetti, 2014).

 

Tourette Syndrome

Cannabis safely reduces the frequency of tics caused by Tourette syndrome (Muller-Vahl, 2013).

References

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2. Baron, E.P. (2015, June). Comprehensive Review of Medicinal Marijuana, Cannabinoids, and Therapeutic Implications in Medicine and Headache: What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been. Headache, 55(6), 885-916. Retrieved from 

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14. Greco, R., Mangione, A.S., Sandrini, G., Nappi, G. and Tassorelli, C. (2014, March). Activation of CB2 receptors as a potential therapeutic target for migraine: evaluation in an animal model. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 15, 14. Retrieved from 

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16. Kubajewska, I., and Constantinescu, C.S. (2010, August). Cannabinoids and experimental models of multiple sclerosis. Immunobiology, 215(8), 647-57. Retrieved from 

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19. Lotan, I., Treves, T.A., Roditi, Y., and Djaldetti, R. (2014, March-April). Cannabis (medical marijuana) treatment for motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson disease: an open-label observational study. Clinical Neuropharmacology, 37(2), 41-4. Retrieved from 

20. More, S.V., and Choi, D.K. (2015, April). Promising cannabinoid-based therapies for Parkinson’s disease: motor symptoms to neuroprotection. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 10, 17. Retrieved from 

21. Muller-Vahl, K.R. (2013). Treatment of Tourette syndrome with cannabinoids. Behavioral Neurology, 27(1), 119-24. Retrieved from 

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27. Russo, E.B. (2004, February-April). Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD): can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions? Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 25(1-2), 31-9. Retrieved from 

28. Tripp, D.A., Nickel, J.C., Katz, L., Krsmanovic, A., Ware, M.A., and Santor, D. (2014). A survey of cannabis (marijuana) use and self-reported benefit in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 8(11-12), E901–E905. Retrieved from 

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