Ibuprofen reduces risk of Alzheimer's

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine followed 250,000 veterans over the age of 55 years and showed that taking ibuprofen for five years was associated with a 40 percent reduction in the development of Alzheimer's disease (Neurology, May 2008).

Alzheimer's disease is associated with the deposition of tangled webs of protein in the brain. Several previous studies show that ibuprofen reduces these protein deposits in the brains of animals. A leading theory on the cause of Alzheimer's disease is that a person's immunity attacks the brain to cause dementia. Ibuprofin reduces inflammation, the body's response to an overactive immunity. Another study in the same issue of Neurology showed people that with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life. More on preventing dementia