Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s Society

Ibuprofen may reduce dementia risk

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Long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a large US study reports.

Data from almost 250,000 veterans showed those who used the painkiller for more than five years were more than 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

The study in Neurology reported that some other similar painkillers may also have a protective effect.

Dementia experts said the results were interesting but warned against people taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk.

It is not the first time an association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, and Alzheimer’s disease has been reported but results have been conflicting.

The researchers from Boston University School of Medicine said one possible reason for inconsistent reports may be that different NSAIDs have different effects.

They looked at five years of data in 49,300 people over the age of 55 years who had developed Alzheimer’s disease and almost 200,000 controls.

Overall, use of NSAIDs for five years was associated with a 24% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

But the effects of ibuprofen were the most profound and some other NSAIDs, such as celecoxib, had no effect.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease

Study leader Dr Steven Vlad said: “There are theoretical reasons to think that not all NSAIDs would behave the same way in terms of Alzheimer’s disease.”

He said ibuprofen had been shown in animal models and the laboratory to reduce levels of protein deposits associated with Alzheimer’s in the brain.

The results are probably partly due to direct effects of the drug and partly due to the fact ibuprofen is the most commonly used NSAID so the finding would be picked up more easily, he added.

But he added: “All NSAIDs have well known side-effects that can be very serious and we still need trials to make sure the risks and benefits are very clear.”

Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “This interesting research builds on evidence of the protective effects of long-term use of NSAIDs against Alzheimer’s disease.


“Whilst this is important research it does not mean that people should start taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk of developing dementia.

“Long-term use of NSAIDs is associated with a number of very significant side-effects.”

He added it was now up to researchers to use the results in the development of future treatments for the condition.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said the results were promising.

“The apparent connection between ibuprofen and a reduced risk of dementia is no silver bullet, but indicates an exciting direction for future research,” she said.

A separate study also published in Neurology showed people with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life.

The US researchers said poor nutrition in early life may be the link between the two.

Laughter therapy for Alzheimer’s

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Results from a new study may provide a therapy for people with Alzheimer’s that is relatively cheap and drug-free.

There’s little to smile about when it comes to dementia, as the UK’s 750,000 plus sufferers and their carers know only too well. However, the results of research in Australia bring some positive news. The SMILE study, which was carried out in 36 Australian residential care facilities, looked at the impact that humour therapy has on people with dementia. The punch line? Humour therapy worked as well as antipsychotic drugs when it came to managing agitation, and without any of the harmful side effects that the drug can have.

There is a long history of humour therapy, provided by Clown Doctors, for children in hospital, an approach pioneered by the American doctor Patch Adams. However this is the first major study into how humour therapy can make a difference to the mood, behavioural disturbances, agitation and social engagement in people with dementia.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s

The SMILE study recruited a ‘LaughterBoss’ at each of the care facilities involved, who worked with a ‘humour practitioner’ or Clown Doctor. Both were trained by the Arts Health Institute (AHI), so that they could provide a playful relationship with the residents and staff. The playfulness seems to have paid off. The humour therapy led to both a short-term and longer-term decrease in agitation, according to lead researcher Dr Lee-Fay Low, a Research Fellow in the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales.

In fact the SMILE study found that using humour therapy produced a 20 percent reduction in agitation, comparable to the results from commonly-used drugs. “This shows humour therapy should be considered before medication for agitation, particularly taking into account its side effects,” said Dr Fay-Lee Low. The improvement in agitation levels lasted for the 12 weeks of the study, and was still lower when the patients were followed up after 26 weeks.


“More than 140,000 people with dementia in England are being inappropriately prescribed psychotics. Rather than seeing the medicine cabinet as the first resort, it is vital that we see the person behind the dementia and understand what causes symptoms such as agitation. It makes sense that making people laugh can be an effective way of putting them at ease,” said Louise Lakey, policy manager of Alzheimer’s Society. “Two thirds of people in care homes have dementia yet only a minority of staff have any dementia training. We need to empower these staff, support carers and invest in research into alternative drug treatments if change is going to happen everywhere.”

The side-effects of antipsychotic drugs can be serious. They include leaving the person heavily sedated, and at double the risk of death and triple the risk of stroke. Information from Alzheimer’s Society puts the cost of antipsychotic prescriptions for people with dementia at £60 million per year in the UK. Alzheimer’s Society research shows that by using person centred care, that bill can be cut in half, to £30 million a year.