Alternative Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease?
There is increasing evidence that statin medications may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Although high cholesterol levels are only a moderate risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, a number of research studies have shown that taking statins significantly reduces developing the disease.
What Are Statins
Statin drugs are used to lower cholesterol and were first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. Statins lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the type of cholesterol most strongly linked with coronary artery disease and stroke. These drugs include:
atorvastatin (Lipitor)
fluvastatin (Lescol)
lovastatin (Mevacor)
pravastatin (Pravachol)
and simvistatin (Zocor).
How Statins May Affect Alzheimer's
It is believed that statins act on beta-secretase and alpha-secretase activity. Beta-secretase has a physical reaction with amyloid proteins that lead to plaque build-up in the brain. Alpha-secretase helps break down amyloid proteins.
Should Statins Be Used to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?
Information about statins and Alzheimer's disease and its efficacy mean that more research is required before statins become a treatment for the disease.
Statins are commonly used to reduce cholesterol and reduce vascular disease, but they are expensive and do have significant side effects. Also, it is not known at this time which statins are more effective for reducing plaque build-up in Alzheimer's disease.
The Cochrane Library in their review of the efficacy of statin use to prevent Alzheimer's disease say there is "no evidence that statins reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease". They state that although the studies do show evidence of reduced occurance of Alzheimer's in people who take statins and those who do not, the drug trials were not randomized therefore they provide insufficient evidence to recommend statin therapy.
It is obvious that more research is required into the use of statins to prevent and protect against Alzheimer's disease.
More Information About Alternative and Protective Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease
Article Sources Include: Statins and the Risk of Dementia. (2000) H Jick, et al. The Lancet pp. 1627-1631.
Statins for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease(2006) Scott HD, Laake K. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 3. The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Alzheimer's Disease (2005), Paul Nash, Nicole Villemarette-Pittmann American Academy of Neurology. AAN Press.
