Characteristics of the disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Charcot's disease, is a degenerative disease that leads to progressive paralysis of voluntary muscles (controlled by the will) linked to degeneration of motor neurons. It usually appears between the ages of 50 and 70, and affects both men and women. ALS is very disabling, and evolves progressively depending on the patient. At the onset of the disease, the most common symptoms are muscle loss and muscle wasting, as well as cramps, followed by coordination problems and difficulty swallowing. The course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis varies from one individual to another, but on average the outcome is fatal after 3 to 5 years, most often because of the failure of the respiratory muscles.
Diagnosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is diagnosed by elimination, since it presents symptoms that may suggest other neurodegenerative diseases in its early stages. For example, it cannot be detected by a blood test because it does not have a biological marker. The diagnosis of ALS is based on tests performed by a neurologist, looking for signs of muscle and bulbar neurodegeneration, as well as pathologies with associated symptoms. Other tests will confirm the diagnosis, such as an MRI (medical imaging) and an EMG (electromyogram, which explores the muscle and nerves).
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is currently no curative treatment available. Only the symptoms and their effects can be managed to improve patients' lives :
- Prescription of the drug riluzole to slow the progression of the disease
- Non-invasive ventilation, when breathing deteriorates as the disease progresses
- Medications to relieve pain related to cramps.
- Physiotherapy, to limit the effects of the motor deficit.
- Speech therapy, to manage speech and swallowing disorders.
- Occupational therapy to improve certain aspects of daily life.
- Management of undernutrition
- Psychological support
CBD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
CBD is a molecule derived from industrial hemp (Cannabis Sativa). It belongs to the large family of cannabinoids like its famous cousin THC. Contrary to THC which is psychotropic and whose use is prohibited, CBD is not classified as a narcotic, and hemp flowers containing less than 0.3% THC can be sold in France. It is important to understand that cannabis is in fact a family of plants with different characteristics :
- Cannabis Sativa or industrial hemp, very rich in CBD, and very poor in THC (less than 0.3% as provided by law).
- Cannabis Indica, very poor in CBD and very rich in THC (banned in most countries)
- Cannabis Ruderalis, low in CBD, and low in THC
CBD is the subject of numerous scientific studies. Among all the existing cannabinoids, it is the one attracting the most attention. These studies, often preclinical or on small groups, explore several leads, without any conclusion for ALS to date:
- Pain: a possible effect is being studied (Lu et al. 2015, GENNARO et al. 2017).
- Muscle tension: a possible relaxing effect is being explored.
- Breathing: a possible bronchodilator effect has been observed in laboratory studies.
- Sleep: some studies look at a possible effect, with preliminary results.
- Inflammation: an anti-inflammatory activity has been observed in preclinical studies.
CBD is not a medicine and does not replace the treatment of ALS: ask your neurologist or doctor for advice.
