Research shows that sustainable NSAID use can protect the brain against dementia, especially for individuals without a genetic predisposition your anti-inflammatory medication are the key to healthy aging?
Study: Long-term exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication in relation to dementia risk. Slladkaya / Shutterstock.com
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Determines whether long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of developing dementia.
What causes dementia?
Dementia is characterized by a gradual decrease in the functioning of the brain. Inflammation is a common characteristic of different pathophysiological changes that contribute to the development of dementia, some of which include vascular brain injury and the accumulation of amyloid-β and tau proteins.
Hypertension, atherosclerosis, hypoperfusion, amyloid-β and tau protein accumulation activate chronic neuro-inflammatory responses, which then increase the risk of dementia. Chronic neuro inflammation leads to greater vascular damage and amyloid-β and tau accumulation by inducing endothelial dysfunction and reducing the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
NSAIDs and dementia risk
NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory analgesic agents that inhibit the enzymatic activity of Cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) and COX-2. Last In Vivo Studies have shown that exposure to NSAID amyloid-β-plaque formation in the brain of mice can reduce.
Similarly, a meta-analysis revealed that, compared to non-users, NSAID users were less likely to develop dementia. However, these findings were contradicted by another meta-analysis that indicates no effect of NSAID use on the risk of dementia.
To date, few observational studies have evaluated the association between long-term NSAID use and the risk of dementia.
About the study
The current study obtained data from the Rotterdam study, a continuous population-based cohort study conducted in the Netherlands. This data was used to determine the effects of long-term and cumulative NSAID doses on dementia risks and how these drugs can reduce the amyloid burden in the brain.
The Rotterdam study started to participate in the participants of 55 and older in 1990. In comparison with the beginning of the study, in which 7,983 people were registered, 14,926 people were eventually included in the last study -rich cohort. All participants undergo a follow -up study in a dedicated research center every four years.
A total of 13,507 participants in the study were dementia-free upon registration and gifts informed permission for follow-up via medical records. A diagnosis of dementia was reported on each date, a sub-cohort consisting of dementia-free persons who were currently tailored to age and gender.
Study findings
At the start, the average age of the participants in the study was 66.2 years, 59.5% female. During the follow-up period, approximately 81% of the NSAIDs cohort used, which reflected 93,859 cumulative months of NSAID use.
Long -term use of NSAIDs was more often reported in women than men. In comparison with users in the short term, long -term NSAID users were more likely to have larger Body Mass Index (BMI) values and were diagnosed with diabetes.
About 30%, 5.8%and 45.6%of the cohort used NSAIDs with Aβ42-LL-Lower properties, Non-Aβ42 lowering NSAIDs and both. About 17.8% of the study participants were diagnosed with dementia after an average follow-up period of 14.5 years. 73.4% of the participants in the study with dementia in particular were diagnosed with clinical AD.
In comparison with non-NSAID users, the use of NSAIDs was associated in the short and interim term with an increased risk of dementia for all causes. Long-term NSAID users who have been using these drugs for more than two years were less likely to have dementia diagnosed. Cumulative NSAID doses were not associated with the risk of dementia.
Sensitivity analysis showed that less than 24 months of NSAID use reduces the risk of developing dementia, while 12-24 months of NSAID use was associated with a marginal increase in the risk of dementia. In comparison with Aβ42 lowering NSAIDs, Non-Aβ42 lowering NSAIDs were more effective in reducing dementia due to all causes and clinical ad-risk.
The effects of long-term NSAID use in reducing the risk of dementia for all causes were only observed in participants who miss the apolipoprotein ε4 (apo-ε4), but not with the Apoe-ε4 allel. Long -term use of acetylsalicylic acid had no influence on the risk of dementia.
Conclusions
Long -term use of NSAIDs, but not in the short term, reduced the risk of developing dementia. It is important that this beneficial effect was dependent on the duration of use and not the cumulative dose.
The research results indicate that the long -term use of anti -inflammatory drugs can prevent the start of dementia. Nevertheless, additional research is needed to evaluate the potential of anti -inflammatory drugs in preventing dementia.
Long -term inhibition of harmful inflammatory processes, rather than exposure to a high cumulative dose, is more effective in preventing dementia. “
Journal Reference:
- Stricker, BH, IKRAM, MK, Wolters, FJ, & Ikram, Mon (2025) Long-term exposure of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication in relation to dementia risk. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. DOI: 10.1111/JGS.19411