Study: CBD Reduces Chemotherapy-Linked Cognitive Decline
- The study published in Cancer Letters found that cannabidiol (CBD) reduced chemotherapy-related cognitive impairments, improving brain functions affected in cancer survivors.
- Researchers from the University of California used a mouse model treated with chemotherapy drugs doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide to test the effects of oral CBD over one month.
- CBD-treated mice showed significant improvements in learning, memory, executive function, and memory consolidation compared to chemotherapy-only mice.
- CBD restored brain endocannabinoid levels, reduced brain inflammation and damage, and may offer a potential approach to mitigate cognitive decline after chemotherapy, though further human studies are needed.
A study published today in Cancer Letters found that cannabidiol (CBD) reduced chemotherapy-related cognitive problems, improving several brain functions commonly affected in cancer survivors.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, examined whether CBD could help address cancer therapy-related cognitive impairments, a condition often reported by patients after chemotherapy. These impairments can affect memory, learning and executive function, creating long-term quality-of-life issues for survivors.
Researchers used a mouse model involving doxorubicin, also known as Adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide, two chemotherapy drugs associated with cognitive side effects. Mice treated with the chemotherapy drugs were then given 99% pure CBD orally for one month, at a dose of 20 milligrams per kilogram in sesame oil.
According to the study, CBD-treated mice showed significant improvements in learning and memory, executive function and memory consolidation compared to mice that received chemotherapy without CBD.
The researchers also found that CBD helped restore brain endocannabinoid levels and reduced enzymes that break down endocannabinoids. The treatment also mitigated chemotherapy-related damage tied to neurogenesis, neuronal plasticity and synaptic density, while reducing elevated gliosis, a marker of brain inflammation and injury response.
The findings provide preclinical evidence that CBD may offer a feasible approach for reducing chemotherapy-related cognitive decline. However, because the study was conducted in mice, further research would be needed to determine whether the same effects occur in cancer patients.