The over the counter painkiller, aspirin, could be employed as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. That is the finding of new research undertaken at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Centre.
The study found that mice, which were genetically modified to develop the condition, had reduced levels of beta amyloid peptide in their brains after having the drug administered. Beta amyloid peptide is a toxic protein molecule that is a key trait of Alzheimer’s, with the brain’s inability to clear it out thought to be one of the primary causes of the disease.
The research noted that low-doses of the painkiller helped to form tiny sacs called lysosomes. These help to break down and clear out harmful materials within the body.
Writing in a scientific journal, the team responsible for the study said: “Stimulation of lysosomal biogenesis and reduction of amyloid plaque pathology by low-dose aspirin holds promising therapeutic potential for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”
UK experts, however, were a lot more cautious. Professor Tara Spires-Jones said of the findings: “While this work is scientifically interesting, it is at very early stages. The effects of aspirin were shown in cells in a dish and in a single mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease with relatively few mice per group.
“Furthermore, the study did not show whether aspirin helped the brain function in this disease model.”
She concluded: “More work will need to be done in order to know whether low-dose aspirin could help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s.”
Speaking on behalf of Alzheimer’s Research UK, Dr Sara Imarisio added: “The study reveals important insights into the mechanisms through which aspirin may impact brain health, however this is a small study in mice so it’s too early to draw conclusions about whether aspirin could be used to treat Alzheimer’s in people.”
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