Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research
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Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research
This course is part of Medical Cannabis: The Health Effects of THC and CBD Specialization
Instructor: Kent Hutchison
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What you'll learn
Learn how cannabis may influence inflammation and other disorders through its effects on inflammation.
Learn how cannabis may influence exercise performance and recovery.
Learn how cannabis may influence the aging process.
Learn about the future of cannabis research.
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There are 4 modules in this course
This Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course is designed to have you think critically about the health effects of cannabis (i.e., marijuana) in the context of inflammation, exercise, and aging. You'll learn how inflammation and the microbiome may be related to the disorders discussed in class, and how cannabis may influence these disorders through modulating inflammation. We'll describe the relationship between the endocannabinoid system and exercise, and how cannabinoids may affect exercise performance and recovery. You'll learn how to identify key features of aging and how cannabinoids may influence the aging process. Obtaining this knowledge will be helpful in terms of informing public policy, public health, and personal decisions regarding the use of cannabis products.
In this module, we will discuss how our gut microbiome and endocannabinoid system influences inflammatory disease states. We will also discuss how the gut and brain communicate and regulate inflammatory states through what is known as the "gut-brain axis."
What's included
5 videos7 readings1 assignment
5 videosβ’Total 31 minutes
- Introduction to Moduleβ’2 minutes
- Lecture - Overview of Inflammation and the Microbiota Gut Brain Axisβ’7 minutes
- Lecture - Chronic Inflammation and Disease Statesβ’7 minutes
- Lecture - Cannabinoids and Inflammationβ’7 minutes
- Lecture - Cannabis and Inflammatory Disease Statesβ’8 minutes
7 readingsβ’Total 61 minutes
- Course Updates and Accessibility Supportβ’1 minute
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Of Microbes and Minds (Calvani, 2018)β’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Chronic Inflammation & Age-Associated Diseases (Franceshchi, 2014)β’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 10 minutes
- Quiz #12β’10 minutes
In this module, we will discuss the role of endocannabinoids in exercise, and how cannabis may impact exercise. We will also discuss the importance of exercise recovery, and how cannabis may impact recovery.
What's included
5 videos5 readings
5 videosβ’Total 39 minutes
- Introduction to Moduleβ’4 minutes
- Lecture - Endocannabinoids and Exerciseβ’10 minutes
- Lecture - Effects of Cannabis on Performanceβ’7 minutes
- Lecture - Effect of Cannabinoids on Recoveryβ’8 minutes
- Lecture - Cannabis and Professional Sportsβ’10 minutes
5 readingsβ’Total 52 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’12 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Watch this video βI Smoked Two Blunts Before Every Gameβ: NFL Vets on Cannabis in Footballβ’10 minutes
In this module, we will discuss the common challenges older adults face while aging such as pain and depression, as well as common treatments used for these conditions tailored to this population. We will also discuss the research on cannabis for these conditions, and discuss the specific risks that this population faces with regards to cannabis use.
What's included
5 videos4 readings1 peer review
5 videosβ’Total 60 minutes
- Introduction to Moduleβ’3 minutes
- Lecture - Healthy Agingβ’15 minutes
- Interview with Peterβ’18 minutes
- Lecture - Older Adults and Cannabisβ’11 minutes
- Lecture - The Bigger Pictureβ’14 minutes
4 readingsβ’Total 40 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Watch these videosβ’10 minutes
1 peer reviewβ’Total 60 minutes
- Infographic Assignment #4β’60 minutes
In this module, we will do a quick overview of the main takeaways from this series of courses regarding the risks and benefits of cannabis use. We will discuss the controversies around using cannabis as a therapeutic and consider how cannabis could be used as an alternative medicine. We will discuss lingering questions and gaps in the literature and research that need to be filled. Lastly, we will discuss the Citizen's Science Initiative - a crowdsourcing data science project with the purpose of collecting much needed and relevant data on the health effects of cannabis for specific clinical populations.
What's included
4 videos3 readings1 discussion prompt
4 videosβ’Total 44 minutes
- Introduction to Moduleβ’5 minutes
- Lecture - What Have We Learned?β’13 minutes
- Lecture - Should Cannabis Be Viewed as "Medicine"?β’13 minutes
- Lecture - Where Do We Go From Here?β’12 minutes
3 readingsβ’Total 30 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
- Lecture PDFβ’10 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 30 minutes
- Exercise #4β’30 minutes
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Reviewed on Apr 18, 2024
I canβt finish the course. It stays at 98% In progress. I watched and read all the materials and did the exams. Pay to better IT.
Reviewed on Mar 11, 2023
Awesome course, greatly enjoyed all 4 of the cannabis units. Kent is an amazing Lecturer
Reviewed on Mar 9, 2025
Fantastic and life changing course! Thank you so much for presenting this.
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