Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is frequently associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as agitation and aggression, especially in the moderate to severe stages of the illness. The limited efficacy and high-risk profiles of current pharmacotherapies for the management of agitation and aggression in AD have driven the search for safer pharmacological alternatives. Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of medications that target the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The behavioural effects of ECS medications, as well as their ability to modulate neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, make targeting this system potentially relevant in AD. This article summarizes the...

Objective: The management of agitation in dementia is a growing problem and conventional modes of intervention have limited efficacy. Synthetic Cannabinoids have been studied in other conditions like pain and multiple sclerosis. There is limited data available on their role in dementia. The authors aim to review the available literature and report on the efficacy of treatment with synthetic cannabinoids in two cases of dementia. Method: Two cases of patients with severe dementia were reported on for the off label use of Nabilone for their symptoms of psychomotor agitation and aggression. Informed consent was obtained from the patients’ substitute decision makers. The Kensington Standardized...

Rationale Male CB1KO mice exhibit stronger aggressive responses than wild-type mice. Objective This study was designed to examine the role of cannabinoid CB2r in social and aggressive behavior. Methods The social interaction test and resident–intruder paradigm were performed in mice lacking CB2r (CB2KO) and in wild-type (WT) littermates. The effects of the CB2r selective agonist JWH133 (1 and 2 mg/kg) on aggression were also evaluated in Oncins France 1 (OF1) mice. Gene expression analyses of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT), 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (5-HTT), and 5-HT1B receptor (5HT1Br) in the dorsal raphe nuclei (DR) and the amygdala (AMY) were carried out using real-time PCR. Results...