Earlier research has suggested that inflammation can contribute to the development and progression of dementia and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs can help protect dementia because of their anti-inflammatory effects. A new large prospective study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Offers additional evidence, which shows that NSAID use is linked in the long term to a reduced risk of developing dementia.
In the population-based study of 11,745 adults with an average follow-up of 14.5 years, 9,520 participants had used NSAIDs at any time, and 2,091 participants developed dementia. NSAID use in the long term was associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia of 12%. The use of short and interim term offered no benefits. The cumulative dose of NSAIDs was also not associated with reduced dementia risk.
The findings suggest that long -term, instead of intensive, use of anti -inflammatory drugs can help protect dementia.
Our study provides evidence on possible preventive effects of anti -inflammatory medication against the dementia process. There is a need for more studies to further consolidate this evidence and possibly develop preventive strategies. “
M. Arfan Ikram, MSC, MD, PhD, corresponding author of Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, in the Netherlands
Source:
Journal Reference:
Vom Hofe, I., et al .. (2025) Long-term exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication in relation to dementia risk. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. doi.org/10.1111/jgs.19411.