Researchers are finding that CBD has great potential to result in speedier and broader recovery in ischemic stroke patients, by offering them incredible neuroprotection.
Ischemic strokes are the most common type of strokes, usually caused by a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain. This keeps blood from flowing regularly, and within minutes brain cells can begin to die.
A study conducted at Fukuoka University in Japan in 2010 investigated whether CBD could be an effective treatment option for patients undergoing rehabilitation from ischemic strokes.
They found that CBD helped by offering a long lasting cerebro-protective effect, aiding recovery by preventing further brain damage and improving motor function.
A 2017 study in Spain also concluded that CBD minimises brain damage and improves functional recovery in ischemic stroke patients.
They found that intake of CBD led to long-term functional recovery in patients by reducing the death and damage of nerve cells, as well as destructive inflammation of nervous tissue.
A study in 2004 by the Department of Experimental Pharmacology at Naples University in Italy found that the anti-oxidative effects of CBD may also be the reason it helps with stroke recovery
Strokes, as well as conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's, involve what is known as beta-amyloid toxicity - a protein in the brain which builds up to cause memory loss and dysfunction of the connections between nerve cells.
The study indicated that the strong anti-oxidant effect of CBD - due to stimulation of cannabinoid receptors - provides neuroprotection and reduces the oxidative damage caused by an excess of this protein.