National Surveys show that older adults are more likely to use cannabis for medicinal purposes than recreational purposes, and common reasons for use include pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Cannabidiol (CBD), a Cannabis sativa constituent, is a pharmacologically broad-spectrum drug (that, in recent years, has drawn increasing interest as a treatment for anxiety and anxiety disorders. CBD is thought to have anxiolytic properties and may mitigate some of the harmful effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While clinical evidence supporting the use of CBD for anxiety reduction is available, there continue to be considerable challenges in terms of a lack of standardized dosage and route of administration. In addition, these studies have been conducted with a relatively small sample of participants, and within various populations, including healthy individuals. In many of the studies, marijuana was measured as a secondary outcome. .
There is overwhelming evidence that inflammation plays an important role in aging, anxiety and anxiety disorders. There is also considerable evidence that CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, with clinical data suggesting that CBD reduces inflammatory markers and stress response levels. However, prior work has not considered the psychoactive and anti-inflammatory effects of CBD, which may vary in their pharmacological use and its effects on anxiety levels. Thus, we are proposing that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD are linked with its anxiolytic effects.
There is a gap in understanding the effects of CBD on anxiety reduction among older women. to address this gap. We propose to test the hypothesis that the anxiolytic effects and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD vary as a function of the ratio of CBD to THC.