3 months ago
7
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A breakthrough in Alzheimer's and dementia prevention is looking promising at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The study indicates a nearly eight-fold reduction in Alzheimer's risk for people taking an already FDA-approved drug.
Ezetimibe is a drug designed to lower cholesterol levels, but the research found it also targets and separates buildups of proteins consistently found in those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Experts such as Dr. Srinivas Ayyadevara, UAMS associate professor in the College of Medicine, believe these buildups of proteins cause most or all cognitive decline.
"People who have taken this drug (ezetimibe) have a sevenfold, seven to eightfold, less severe instances, relative risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," Ayyadevara explained.
Around 40 researchers were involved in the study which simulated interactions with more than 1,800 FDA-approved medications. They studied a few through the lens of a clinical database of 950,000 older adults — 4,361 of whom were receiving ezetim...
English (US) ·