Anti-inflammatories do not prevent Alzheimer's disease, study finds

MONTREAL – Researchers at McGill University in Montreal say a recent study appears to refute the hypothesis that anti-inflammatory drugs may help stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The school tested the effect of naproxen, an anti-inflammatory, on 200 participants who were at risk of developing the disease but did not have any symptoms yet.

The authors of the study say that the two-year clinical trial did not reveal any evidence that taking the standard drug, sold under the brand name Aleve, had an effect on the progression of the disease compared to a placebo.

According to the school, researchers have known for decades that inflammation accompanies Alzheimer's brain damage, which has led to the hypothesis that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help stop or prevent the disease. .

But the researchers said later clinical trials all conclude that drugs make no difference, regardless of whether patients already have cognitive impairment.

Lead author, Dr. John Breitner, says the findings suggest that researchers will have to look elsewhere in search for an indispensable means of preventing the disease.