A study has found that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for more than two years can reduce the risk of dementia.
The findings, which examined the impact of long-term NSAID use on dementia risk, were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. NSAIDs, widely used in medical settings, are known for their pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. Common NSAIDs include aspirin and ibuprofen.
Beyond their short-term pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits, NSAIDs have also been found to help prevent certain diseases when taken long-term.
The research team analyzed data from the Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands, investigating how long-term NSAID use affected dementia risk in 11,745 elderly individuals with an average age of 66.
Participants were divided into two groups based on whether the NSAIDs they used were known to reduce beta-amyloid-42 levels. Beta-amyloid is a toxic protein that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, contributing to the death of brain cells and the onset of dementia symptoms.
Participants were also classified into four groups based on their NSAID usage: No use, short-term use (less than one month), intermediate-term use (between one month and two years), and long-term use (more than two years).
The follow-up period lasted 14.5 years, during which 81.3% of participants were found to have taken NSAIDs.
Less than 6% of participants used NSAIDs that did not reduce beta-amyloid-42 levels, while 46% took both types of NSAIDs (those that reduced beta-amyloid-42 and those that did not).
The study found that while short-term and intermediate-term NSAID users had a slightly increased risk of dementia, those in the long-term NSAID group experienced a significant reduction in dementia risk.
The impact of long-term NSAID use on reducing Alzheimer’s disease risk was found to be stronger than all other known risk factors for dementia. Furthermore, NSAIDs that did not lower beta-amyloid-42 levels were more effective at reducing dementia risk than those that did.
However, the study did not confirm whether a higher cumulative NSAID dosage further decreased dementia risk in proportion to usage.
Additionally, NSAID use did not lower dementia risk in individuals who carry the APOE-e4 allele, a genetic variant known to significantly increase the likelihood of developing dementia.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that long-term NSAID use can reduce the risk of dementia.
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