Prime Highlights:
The study suggests that antibiotics, antivirals, and vaccines could help tackle dementia, potentially speeding up the search for treatments.
The global number of people living with dementia is projected to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, posing a significant healthcare challenge.
Key Background:
A new study suggests that repurposing existing drugs, such as antibiotics, antivirals, and vaccines, could play a key role in tackling dementia, potentially accelerating the search for effective treatments. The research, led by experts from the University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, highlights the possibility of using medications already approved for other conditions to prevent or slow the progression of dementia, which is expected to affect 153 million people worldwide by 2050.
While the development of new dementia drugs is progressing, experts emphasize the need for faster alternatives. Dr. Ben Underwood, a leading researcher from the University of Cambridge, stressed the importance of repurposing licensed medications to expedite clinical trials and make potential treatments available to patients much more quickly than new drug discoveries would allow.
The study analyzed data from 14 large-scale studies, which tracked the health of over 130 million people and included 1 million dementia cases. It found inconsistent results regarding which drugs might influence dementia risk, yet it identified several potential candidates warranting further research. Among the most surprising findings was the association between antibiotics, antivirals, and vaccines with a reduced risk of developing dementia. This supports the hypothesis that viral or bacterial infections may contribute to certain forms of dementia.
Additionally, anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen, were linked to a lower dementia risk, reinforcing the growing understanding that inflammation plays a significant role in various diseases. However, the evidence for other drug categories, such as blood pressure medications, antidepressants, and diabetes treatments, was mixed.
Dr. Julia Dudley of Alzheimer’s Research UK cautioned that further clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings, while Dr. Richard Oakley from the Alzheimer’s Society highlighted the potential cost savings and time efficiencies of repurposing existing drugs. The study, published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, marks an important step in identifying medications that could modify or prevent dementia progression.
