WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In the first clinical trial of its kind, researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina and Georgetown University found that a specially formulated medicine containing Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, two active compounds found in cannabis (marijuana), helped reduce agitation in older adults with dementia.
The study, called the LiBBY trial (Life's End Benefits of Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol), included 120 participants with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. All participants were eligible for hospice care and were experiencing agitation. The trial was conducted at 10 medical centres across the United States, with researchers visiting participants in their homes or care facilities.
The researchers tested an oral medicine made from purified THC and CBD in a fast-acting oil suspension. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group received the THC/CBD treatment, while the other received a placebo. To ensure fair and unbiased results, neither the participants, their caregivers nor the doctors knew who was receiving the actual treatment.
During the study, researchers measured agitation using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, a standard questionnaire that assesses 29 different behaviours linked to agitation. Caregivers rated each behaviour on a scale ranging from 'never' to 'several times an hour' and were also responsible for administering the medication.
After just two weeks, the group receiving the THC/CBD treatment showed a 6.27-point greater reduction in agitation scores than the placebo group. The improvement continued throughout the 12-week study. Also, nearly 90% of those who received the THC/CBD treatment showed overall improvement after 12 weeks.
Researchers also used another assessment called the Clinical Global Impression of Change in Behavior. It showed that 83.9% of people in the THC/CBD group had reduced agitation after two weeks, compared with 30.5% in the placebo group. After 12 weeks, the figures were 87.2% for the treatment group and 23.6% for the placebo group.
Although the findings are encouraging, the researchers stressed that the medicine used in the trial is a specially developed medical formulation and is not the same as the THC or CBD products that are commercially available.
'People should not assume that products available at dispensaries or online are equivalent to what was studied in this trial,' co-lead investigator Brigid Reynolds said. 'The medication used in this research was carefully formulated, manufactured and administered under close medical supervision.
'Over-the-counter or commercially available THC and CBD products may vary widely in their composition, quality and dosing, making them potentially ineffective or even harmful.'
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
