OTC painkiller may blunt memory loss from puffing pot

And look at that, marijuana may reduce the effect of Alzheimers. When the hell is your doctor going to influence the FDA and Congress to allow marijuana to be legalized?
A great post from Neurorexia

http://neurorexia.com/2013/11/27/otc-painkiller-may-blunt-memory-loss-from-puffing-pot/ 

3 paragraphs, rest at link.

Pot’s not the best thing for your memory. Yes, I know there are functional potheads who enjoy their greens and get also their work done. Still, it’s hard to ignore the legions of studies that show Δ⁹-THC consumption impairs spatial learning and working memory – that is, the ability to hold several pieces of information in mind and manipulate them to reach a mental goal.

Welcome to downtown BC and BC Bud! Source: cannabisculture.com

Yet paradoxically, THC may benefit those with Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research in rats show that the compound breaks down clumps of disease-causing proteins (called β-amyloid plagues) by upregulating a “scissor” enzyme that chops them up. Sweeping out these junk protein plagues decreased the number of dying neurons in the hippocampus, a brain area crucial for learning and memory. THC also has powerful anti-oxidant effects and may protect the integrity of mitochondria – the “power plants” of our cells.
So here’s the dilemma: THC may potentially battle dementia, yet it also naturally impairs memory. In an unexpected turn of events, scientists from Louisiana State University discovered a key protein that mediates THC-caused memory loss, and show in mice that you can have your edibles and eat it too.