Could pot-linked drug help ease agitation in Alzheimer’s?

(HealthDay)—The active ingredient in pot that gets you high can calm agitation in people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, a small new study suggests.

Canadian researchers found that a form of synthetic THC significantly decreased agitation in a small group of Alzheimer’s patients, working even better than the drugs now used.

“This is the first clinical trial to show that a cannabinoid can decrease agitation,” said lead researcher Krista Lanctot, a senior scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto.

However, many study patients suffered from sedation due to the drug, noted Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association.

“We would love to see this study done in a larger group of people, to see if it continues to be effective in a larger group, and how worried we need to be about this sedation side effect,” Fargo…