NAB-It: Nabilone for Agitation Blinded Intervention Trial

This study will look at whether nabilone is an effective treatment for agitation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Agitation is a common symptom of AD and is known to correlate with physical health problems such as falls and weight loss, AD progression, and caregiver burden. Current treatments for agitation in AD are not beneficial for everyone and there are concerns regarding their safety. Nabilone is a synthetic cannabinoid (a medication based on one substance in cannabis) that is Health Canada-approved to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Treating agitation is important in improving the quality of life of AD patients and their families and there is a need to identify safer and more effective treatments for agitation in AD.

Participants in this study will be randomized to receive either nabilone or a placebo for 8 weeks. In addition to looking at the effectiveness of nabilone in treating agitation, the researchers will also look at whether it is beneficial for other relevant outcomes for patients with AD including overall neuropsychiatric symptoms, caregiver distress, cognition, nutritional status, and pain.