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Arthritis drugs being tested against Alzheimer's (February 8, 2000 12:59 p.m. EST) - Can what's good for arthritis also be helpful in combating Alzheimer's disease? Researchers working for the National Institute on Aging are seeking to find that out as they try anti-inflammatory drugs in a group of patients believed to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. "We know that inflammation in the brain contributes to Alzheimer's disease damage," said Dr. Leon Thal, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study and a researcher at the University of California-San Diego. "We hope that treatment with NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) might slow this damage and its devastating effects." Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that results in memory loss, behavior and personality changes and cognitive decline. Scientists have both indirect and direct evidence that inflammation contributes to the damage. Population studies and the institute's own Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, which is tracking a large group through the aging process, have shown that people who frequently use anti-inflammatory agents are less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Lab tests have shown that various compounds known to be involved with inflammatory processes are found in and around the plaques that build up around brain cells in Alzheimer's disease patients, and that inflammation itself may help destroy some nerve cells. "This is an area of intense interest among patients and families and practicing clinicians, as well as the scientific community," said Dr. Paul Aisen, a neurologist at Georgetown University Medical Center. However, not all anti-inflammatory drugs are equal, Aisen and colleagues report in Tuesday's issue of the journal Neurology. They found that taking low doses of the steroid prednisone was not effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. And first-generation anti-inflammatory drugs may not specifically inhibit the kinds of inflammation that contribute to Alzheimer's disease and often have toxic side effects in older people. The study matches naproxen, a classic anti-inflammatory drug, with a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs called COX 2 inhibitors, plus a placebo in 320 patients who are in general good health but at risk for developing Alzheimer's. Recent studies have indicated that COX 2 may play a central role in degeneration of the brain through cell damage. Naxproxen was included because along with ibuprofen, it was one of the two drugs most widely used by people in the studies that seemed to suggest a protective effect against Alzheimer's. The major risk posed by the anti-inflammatory drugs is upper gastrointestinal toxicity, ranging from mild stomach upset to bleeding gastric ulcers. A major advantage of naproxen is that it can be given twice daily and is reasonably well-tolerated by older patients. The study will use an over-the-counter dosage of the drug and will exclude patients with peptic ulcers, kidney disease, liver disease, bleeding disorders or congestive heart failure to minimize the risks. The research will be carried out over 14 months at 40 medical centers nationwide. People seeking more information about the study can call the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center at 1-800-438-4380 or check the center's site at <A HREF="http://www.alzheimers.org">http://www.alzheimers.org</A> By LEE BOWMAN Copyright 2000 Nando Media Copyright 2000 Scripps Howard News Service Lee Bowman covers health and science for Scripps Howard News Service. <A HREF="http://www.nandotimes.com/noframes/story/0,2107,500165171-500209453-500968068-0,00.html"> http://www.nandotimes.com/noframes/story/0,2107,500165171-500209453-500968068-0,00.html </A> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ 613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0