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Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Feline cognitive dysfunction as a model for Alzheimer’s disease in the research of CBD as a potential treatment-a narrative review

By December 17, 2020February 2nd, 2021No Comments
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a promising agent that may improve the life of these patients, as it was shown to potentially treat several of the pathologies found in both conditions.
Review
. 2020 Dec 17;2(1):43.

doi: 10.1186/s42238-020-00054-w.

Lilach Zadik-Weiss 1, Sivan Ritter 2, Vered Hermush 3 4, Nethanel Asher 5, Avi Avital 6, Reuven Or 7
Affiliations 

Abstract

With the improvement in modern medicine, the world’s human and feline (Felis catus, the domestic cat) population is aging. As the population grows older, there is an increase of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease in humans and feline cognitive dysfunction in felines, which shares many similarities with Alzheimer’s disease. They both result in cognitive decline and lack effective treatments. In light of their pathological similarities, both occur at old age, and as domestic cats share the human environment and risk factors (cats are considered an indicator to the effect of environmental contaminants on humans as they share exposures and diseases), cats have the potential to be a spontaneous model for Alzheimer’s disease. Classic animal models in many cases fail to predict the results in humans, and a natural model can lead to better prediction of results, thus being both time and cost-effective. The feline disease can be researched in trials that could be simultaneously clinical trials for cats and preclinical trials for humans, also referred to as reverse translational medicine. As both maladies lack effective medical intervention, new potential treatments are merited. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a promising agent that may improve the life of these patients, as it was shown to potentially treat several of the pathologies found in both conditions. Yet there is a need for further research in order to establish the benefits and safety of CBD to both human and feline patients.

 

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Cannabidiol, Feline cognitive dysfunction, One Health, Reverse translational medicine

References

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