<div><A href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/10/05/pot.alzheimers.reut/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/10/05/pot.alzheimers.reut/index.html</A></div> <div> </div> <div><B>WASHINGTON, (Reuters)</B> -- Good news for aging hippies: Smoking pot may stave off Alzheimer's disease.</div> <div> </div> <div>New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function.</div> <div> </div> <div>Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana's active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down more effectively than commercially marketed drugs.</div> <div> </div> <div>THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer's patients, the researchers reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.</div> <div> </div> <div>The researchers said their discovery could lead to more effective drug treatment for Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia among the elderly.</div> <div> </div> <div>Those afflicted with Alzheimer's suffer from memory loss, impaired decision-making, and diminished language and movement skills. The ultimate cause of the disease is unknown, though it is believed to be hereditary.</div> <div> </div> <div>Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects from cancer and AIDS treatment.</div> <div> </div> <div>Possessing marijuana for recreational use is illegal in many parts of the world, including the United States, though some states allow possession for medical purposes.</div> <div> </div> <div class=cnnSCAttribution>Copyright 2006 <A href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive_legal.html#Reuters">Reuters</A>. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.</div><p> <hr size=1>Get your email and more, right on the <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42973/*http://www.yahoo.com/preview"> new Yahoo.com</a> <p>  <hr size=1>Get your own <a href=" http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=43290/*http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains" >web address for just $1.99/1st yr</a>. We'll help. <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=41244/*http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/" >Yahoo! Small Business</a>.