Cholesterol Drugs Also May Work for Alzheimer's
Nov. 13, 2001 -- Cholesterol-lowering drugs, called "statins," can do wonders on ridding the body of artery-clogging fat in the blood. Now it appears they may be able to work some magic in the brain as well, by decreasing the amount of protein that mucks up the brain in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease causes progressive confusion and memory loss. One of the main suspects is called beta amyloid, a protein believed to be critical in the initiation and development of the disease.
Previous studies have shown that the cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor might help prevent Alzheimer's disease by getting rid of beta amyloid, but these were all studies in test tubes. The latest research was done in humans, however, and it shows that this may indeed be true.
Mevacor is one of several statin drugs, which are proven to prevent heart attack and stroke by lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Other statins include Pravachol, Lipitor, and Zocor.
Researchers at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York gave either Mevacor or placebo to people with high LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Levels of beta amyloid, as well as cholesterol, were measured before taking the drug or placebo and again three months after starting treatment.
Among 94 people, levels of both beta amyloid and cholesterol fell significantly for those taking Mevacor, compared to the placebo group. The researchers also found that the higher the dose of Mevacor, the greater the drop in beta amyloid.
The research was presented by Lawrence Friedhoff, MD, PhD, at the annual meeting for the Society of Neuroscience. Friedhoff was instrumental in development of the popular Alzheimer's drug Aricept.
At this point, doctors aren't going to start recommending that people start taking statins to prevent or treat Alzheimer's. But, if your doctor gives you one of these drugs to help lower your cholesterol, you might also be protecting your brain from damaging beta-amyloid and Alzheimer's disease.
Time and more research will tell.