Doctors aren’t sure why ibuprofen seems to work against Alzheimer’s, a disease afflicting an estimated 4 million Americans, the majority of them over 65. The uncertainty comes, in large part, because doctors still know so little about the disease itself. Alzheimer’s eats away at brain cells, causing disorientation, dementia and, eventually, death. Autopsies have revealed that Alzheimer’s victims frequent- ly experience inflammation in the folds of the brain, perhaps caused by gummy deposits of plaque. Ibuprofen, an anti- inflammatory, may control the swelling. Researchers began to look at over-the-counter medications after noticing that people with arthritis, who tend to take anti-inflammatories, have a lower rate of Alzheimer’s. But it’s possible some genetic factor that predisposes people to arthritis may stop Alzheimer’s.
While the Alzheimer’s Association called the findings on ibuprofen ““encouraging,’’ doctors cautioned against taking the drug preventatively. Even in moderate doses ibuprofen may cause intestinal bleeding and kidney damage. ““The dilemma we are in is that none of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were designed for long-term frequent use,’’ says Dr. Walter Stewart, the study’s director. And there’s no guarantee that ibuprofen is a magic bullet. Stewart says carefully monitored clinical trials would be necessary to test ibuprofen’s potentially hidden talents.
The ibuprofen finding isn’t the only evidence that the mystery of Alzheimer’s may yield to remarkably commonplace treatment. Another study released last week and conducted at the University of Kentucky found a connection between small strokes and the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms. The study was based on autopsies of 102 nuns, half of whom had the brain lesions characteristic of Alzheimer’s. Of those who had also suffered strokes, 93 percent had symptoms of Alzheimer’s–memory loss, dementia–when they were alive. But 53 percent of those nuns who had the brain lesions and didn’t suffer a stroke had shown none of the telltale debilities. If the study is correct in suggesting that strokes can trigger Alzheimer’s symptoms, controlling the disease may be as simple as lowering blood pressure, exercising, quitting smoking–all the relatively easy, behavioral changes that improve cardiovascular health.
