There is a number of conditions that overlap in symptoms
Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and a few others.

But most common is the fatigue, and weakness, pain, abdominal upsets (including IBS), body temperature regulation, cognitive function (memory, inattention etc).

Medical marijuana gets a lot of interest as a potential natural remedy for pain and other symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

But precious little research has been done to see if pot actually helps with the symptoms of MS, which affects the brain and spinal cord.

In the meantime, some people with MS have been doing their own experiments on MS and pain relief, also known as smoking dope. about 16 percent of MS patients smoke cannabis regularly, and many say they think it helps provide relief from pain, spasticity, insomnia, bladder problems, tremors, and emotional distress.

Canadian researchers wondered how those people were doing, because one of the hallmarks of MS is increased difficulty with thinking, and pot smoking isn’t known for enhancing mental acuity. So the researchers compared the cognitive function of people with MS who often smoke marijuana.

The verdict: Pot smokers fared slightly worse on tests of thinking speed, working memory, executive function, and other cognitive tasks then their non-toking peers. and they did worse overall on thinking clearly, with 64 percent doing poorly on overall cognitive perfromance, compared to 32 percent of nonsmokers. that troubled the University of Toronto researchers who write:

Given that approximately 40 percent to 60 percent of patients with MS are cognitively impaired to begin with, any drug that may add to this burden gives cause for concern.

The results appear in the current issue of the journal Neurology.

Now it must be said, this study was very small, with just 25 people in each group, so the results may not hold up in the long run. but they do suggest that people who are considering smoking marijuana for symptom relief also consider its impact on their thinking, particularly if they’re suffering from a neurological disorder known to make it hard to think clearly.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada funded the work.

Summary there has been conflicting evidence regarding the link between metabolic syndrome and age-related dementia or memory loss. Metabolic syndrome involves symptoms of obesity, diabetes, high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure. it is known that this condition increases the risk of heart disease. However, the link between this condition and dementia is not clearly defined. A study was conducted in France to understand this association better. the results showed that those with metabolic syndrome are at a higher risk of developing dementia but not at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Introduction Dementia is the most severe form of pathological brain aging, defined by developing both memory disorders and deficiency in at least one other cognitive function. it is noted that 18 percent of elderly people over the age of 75 years have dementia. of these, 50 to 60 percent of cases are of Alzheimer’s disease and 40 to 50 percent are of vascular dementia (dementia caused due to reduced blood flow to the brain). Metabolic syndrome is associated with an escalated danger of heart disease. Detection of metabolic syndrome and its early management help to prevent heart disease. However, if it is established that this condition is associated with dementia as well, similar preventive approaches could be devised. this study sought to explore a link between metabolic syndrome and dementia.

Methodology •    The study involved a total of 7,087 people aged over 65 years. the population was followed over four years. •    The participants were subjected to a three-stage test by neuropsychologists and neurologists for the presence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. •    Parameters for metabolic syndrome like blood sugar, blood cholesterol, waist circumference, weight, blood pressure etc. were recorded. •    Several interviews were conducted to record other factors like age, gender, educational qualification etc.

Results •    Results from analysis showed that 15.8 percent of the participants had metabolic syndrome. Further, metabolic syndrome amplified the threat of vascular dementia specifically, whereas it had no effect on Alzheimer’s disease or on general dementia during the four years of observation. •    Of all the parameters of lipid profile or cholesterol, a high triglyceride level was associated with high incidence of vascular dementia. •    Higher waist girth corresponded to lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. •    Of all the factors, presence of diabetes was significantly linked to dementia.

Next steps/shortcomings the authors agree that since all of the “oldest elderly” participants with metabolic syndrome did not survive for assessment of cognitive decline; there may be some differences in actual results from those obtained. also, they agree that “subjects with metabolic syndrome are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease before developing dementia”. Further studies that explore the various reasons for death in people with metabolic syndrome are warranted.

Conclusion an elderly person with high triglyceride levels and/or diabetes is at a higher risk of developing vascular dementia. the results of this study highlight the necessity for prompt detection and management of high triglyceride levels and diabetes in the elderly, to push back the beginning of “clinical dementia.” this study, however, should be interpreted with caution. the authors suggest that “metabolic syndrome as a whole does not seem to have any added value regarding dementia risk in this population.” thus further studies that measure the exact level of association between specific parameters like triglycerides and diabetes with dementia may explain the link with dementia more clearly.

For More Information: Metabolic Syndrome and Risk for Incident Alzheimer’s Disease or Vascular Dementia Publication Journal: Diabetes Care, January 2009 By Christelle Raffaitin, MD; Christophe Tzourio, PhD; University Hospital of Bordeaux, Pessac, France; Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France and Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicalé (INSERM), Bordeaux, France and INSERM, Paris, France

*FYI Living Lab Reports Are Summaries of the Original Research.