Cannabis has been shown to support sleep and even improve the duration of deep, delta-wave sleep in the brain. Now, new research shows that the medicinal herb’s brain benefits extend beyond promoting rest. A recent study published in the journal Cerebrovascular Diseases shows that cannabis also minimizes the severity and speeds recovery time in those experiencing bleeding in the brain.
In the study, an international team evaluated demographic trends and patient outcomes of 725 people with intracerebral hemorrhaging. Those who ingested medicinal marijuana were linked to less severe symptoms and faster recovery. This research supports a previous UCLA study that showed increased survival rates for brain injury patients who previously consumed cannabis.
“Researchers reported that cannabis-positive subjects possessed “milder ICH presentation” upon hospitalization and presented “less disability” at discharge as compared to similarly matched patients who tested negative for cannabinoids.
Preclinical and observation trial data has previously indicated that cannabinoids may possess neuroprotective activity. Specifically, a 2014 UCLA study previously reported that Traumatic Brain Injury patients who tested positive for cannabis upon hospital admission possessed significantly increased survival rates as compared to patients who tested negative for marijuana.”
Read the full study, published in the journal Cerebrovascular Diseases, and titled “Prior Cannabis Use Is Associated with Outcome after Intracerebral Hemorrhage.”
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