How Cannabinoids Help Protect the Aging Brain - By Billee Sharp

As we age, the brain relies on the endocannabinoid system to help manage inflammation, keep neurons healthy, and support the synaptic connections between brain cells. Scientists have been researching the neuroprotective and regenerative capabilities of cannabinoids in the aging brain. Full spectrum extracts containing both major ( THC, CBD, CBN) and minor endocannabinoids (CBG, THCv etc..) can slow the onset of neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's as well as ease some of the brain changes linked to these diseases as they progress.

How Cannabinoids Help

Animal studies have shown some promising signs, some of the earliest research found that cannabinoid compounds could calm down the brain's inflammatory response to amyloid-beta, the sticky protein buildup that's a hallmark of Alzheimer's. In mouse studies, this meant less inflammation, lower amyloid buildup, and better memory performance overall.

CBD specifically stands out for its calming, antioxidant effects on the brain. A 2025 review pulling together both animal and human research found that CBD consistently helped tone down brain inflammation and reduce the activity of "reactive" support cells that, when overactive for too long, actually contribute to neuron damage. Since chronic brain inflammation is now seen as one of the key drivers behind Alzheimer's — not just a side effect — this is a big part of why researchers are excited about cannabinoids as a possible add-on treatment.

What the Human Trials Show So Far

Human research is still catching up, in the late '90s through 2011, early studies mostly looked at cannabis-based drugs for managing behavioral symptoms of dementia, like agitation, rather than memory functionality or thinking skills.

The most exciting recent development is a 2025 clinical trial, run by researchers from Johns Hopkins and two Brazilian universities. It was a proper randomized, placebo-controlled study  and the longest cannabinoid trial in Alzheimer's patients to date, lasting 26 weeks. Patients took a very low daily dose of a balanced THC-CBD extract, and by the end of the trial, they scored significantly better on a standard cognitive test than the placebo group. Side effects were mild.

The Dose Really Matters

One thing researchers keep stressing: with cannabinoids, more isn't necessarily better. Cognative benefits seem to show up at very low doses, and too much can actually cancel out the positive effects or induce more side effects. That's why these trials use tiny, carefully measured amounts rather than anything close to a typical recreational dose. Scientists now think cannabinoids work on the brain through several different pathways at once, rather than just one simple mechanism, which helps explain this delicate balance.

CBN and Mitochondrial Recovery

Beyond THC and CBD, researchers have investigated the effects of  cannabinol (CBN), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that seems to work through a completely different route: the mitochondria, or the "powerhouses" of brain cells. In a study out of the Salk Institute, scientists found that when neurons are under oxidative stress, their mitochondria start to curl up and lose function — a change also seen in brain cells from people with Alzheimer's. Treating those cells with CBN stopped the mitochondria from curling and kept them working normally. When the researchers removed the mitochondria from the cells altogether, CBN's protective effect disappeared entirely, which confirmed that the mitochondria themselves were the target. The team believes this points to a therapeutic angle that goes beyond Alzheimer's, since mitochondrial breakdown is tied to aging and disease across many tissues, not just the brain.

In Conclusion

Cannabinoids are not a cure for dementia or Alzheimer's, but between the anti-inflammatory effects seen in clinical trials and encouraging early results in real patients, there is a genuine reason for optimism. Bigger, longer trials are still needed before doctors could recommend cannabinoids as a standard treatment, but the research so far suggests this is a direction worth watching closely.

References

Cury, R. de M., da Silva, T., Cezar-dos-Santos, F., Fakih, Y. R. C., Ramírez Narvaez, K. A., Gouvea, M. C., Espínola, C., Ferreira, C. F., Chiba de Castro, W. A., Pamplona, F. A., da Silva, E. G., Bicca, M. A., & Nascimento, F. P. (2025). A randomized clinical trial of low-dose cannabis extract in Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251389608

Therapeutic Potential for Cannabidiol on Alzheimer's Disease-Related Neuroinflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2025). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(24), 11963. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/24/11963

Cannabinoids in Alzheimer's Disease: Animal-Human Evidence and Clinical Pharmacology Challenges. (2026). Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1833021/full

Van Den Elsen, G. A. H., Ahmed, A. I. A., Verkes, R. J., et al. (2015). Tetrahydrocannabinol for neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia: A randomized controlled trial. Neurology, 84(23), 2338–2346.

Liang, Z., Soriano-Castell, D., Kepchia, D., Duggan, B. M., Currais, A., Schubert, D., & Maher, P. (2022). Cannabinol inhibits oxytosis/ferroptosis by directly targeting mitochondria independently of cannabinoid receptors. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 180, 33–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.01.002

The Grounding Effect: What is it and How Does it Work? by Nurse Lauren

The term “grounding” is used in abundance these days, especially in health and wellness spaces. But what exactly is grounding, and why is it considered such an important aspect of physical and mental health?

The reality of the world today is that the majority of people are living in a state of nervous system overload called fight or flight, which is the opposite of being grounded. When you are stressed, overwhelmed, constantly in your head, or anxious, your nervous system interprets that mental distress as a physical threat, sending you into a frantic state.

This is a survival mode where the sympathetic nervous system is chronically activated, and the body remains locked in that dis-regulation. It requires all of the body’s life force energy to maintain this state of hyper vigilance, which means it has absolutely no reserved energy for things like cellular repair or disease prevention. The panicked condition of the body causes it to overlook things it would normally manage with ease, which is the cause of nearly all illness we observe today. Grounding is the deliberate process of signaling to your brain that you are physically safe in the current moment, and thus bringing the body back into a state of equilibrium. It is absolutely vital to our health that we learn how to ground ourselves.

There are an abundance of ways to regulate a dis-regulated nervous system, and it just so happens that plants know a lot about grounding. Plants spend their entire lives grounded into the earth, which is how the rhythm of their life cycles are regulated to the perfection of nature. Simply removing your shoes and walking barefoot on the grass causes an exchange of electrons from the soles of your feet and the earth, which, like the roots of the plant, allows your body to literally ground back into the wisdom of nature. Using plants as medicine also assists with calming the body internally. CBD and THC have grounding effects on your nervous system by acting as biological shields against stress, shifting your body out of a frantic fight or flight state and back into a calm, balanced baseline. This is called Parasympathetic nervous system activation, and its the state of a body that is able to heal itself once more. 

Consider this; the integrity of the foundation upon which something is built determines its ultimate outcome. There is no tree that reaches its branches to the heavens whose roots do not conversely reach to the depths of the earth. With this being said, we must suspend our disbelief for a moment as we imagine ourselves as trees. Without first grounding ourselves into the reality of the present moment, our energy remains scattered and ineffective. If we wish to harness our life force energy in a meaningful way we must take some advice from nature. Taking time to ground into the breath, into the rhythms of nature that are within our own bodies, is how we achieve this state. Using plant medicine helps us to harness the healing rhythms of nature that, as human beings on this earth, are our birthright. Walk in nature, take your CBD, and remember this ancient wisdom that lives on within you!