Controlling Inflammation to Prevent Dementia
Many studies have suggested that inflammation may contribute to
Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, autopsies of people who died with
Alzheimer's disease have shown widespread inflammation in the brain that appeared to be caused by the accumulation of beta amyloid. Another study found that men with high levels of C-reactive protein, a general marker of inflammation, had a significantly increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of
dementia.
Early research has indicated that long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (
NSAIDs for short) --
ibuprofen (
Motrin®, Advil
®)
naproxen (Aleve
®,
Naprosyn®,
Anaprox®,
Naprelan®), and similar drugs -- may prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers are not sure how these drugs may protect against dementia, but some or all of the effect may be due to reduced inflammation. A 2003 study showed that these drugs also bind to amyloid plaques and may help to dissolve them and prevent formation of new plaques.
Before considering NSAIDs for dementia prevention, talk to your healthcare provider. These medicines do have possible side effects, especially when used long-term. For example, a large NIH-funded clinical trial of two NSAIDs (naproxen and
celecoxib) to
prevent Alzheimer's disease was stopped in late 2004 because of an increase in
stroke and
heart attack in people taking naproxen. An unrelated study linked celecoxib (
Celebrex®) and other NSAIDs to an increased risk of heart attack.
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