A number of news releases this week may be obscuring the understanding of prevention and risk factors for dementia. First came news that Ibuprofen use over time will reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Then came a different study that reports that other NSAID drugs do not have a protective effect for the same illness.
As is often the case, “the exact mechanism of action is not understood” is tagged onto each story. For the record, aspirin was used for about 100 years before its mechanism was understood, and it continues to be the most life saving drug in history. A Doctor I know often tells the story of saving four lives with one aspirin tablet when he was training in a third world country.
What seems to happen is the plaque on the brain cells that cause the neurofiber tangles in an Alzheimer’s victim’s brain is a response to inflammation. The inflammation may be from small bumps and bruises, which is why boxers tend to have a higher incidence of the disease. The inflammation may be from infectious illnesses or metabolic disorders. Ibuprofen seems to protect the brain from all this. Other drugs in the same class, like naproxen, don’t do so well. Ibuprofen seems to produce a difference if it’s used for five years or longer. Taking ibuprofen for that long has serious risks for stomach and kidney problems. There is always a risk / benefit balance to consider. The other factor published was the relation of limb length to risk for AD. Apparently long calves in women and long arms on men reduce the likelihood for developing dementia. There is also a correlation for long limbs and intelligence, another protective characteristic. Since I have four college degrees and a 37 inch sleeve, I am glad to hear about this. What troubles me of course, is the exact mechanism of action is not understood!