A common painkiller used by millions can reduce the likelihood of dementia by 70 per cent, though it does not benefit all individuals. British patients often receive small doses of aspirin to ward off heart attacks and strokes. Recent data indicates the blood thinner might also protect against memory loss, provided patients possess particular genetic traits.
Published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, the study analyzed genetic information from over 13,500 volunteers. Researchers investigated whether gene variations account for why aspirin protects some people from dementia while leaving others unaffected.
Aspirin, known chemically as acetylsalicylic acid, belongs to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and is available for pain relief to individuals over 16 years old. Doctors may prescribe a small daily pill to patients facing cardiovascular risks because the medication thwarts blood clotting.
Earlier investigations discovered no proof that long-term, low-dose aspirin protects against memory decline or dementia. Yet fresh work from Monash University experts indicates the situation is more complex. The investigation revealed aspirin associated with a 70 per cent lower dementia hazard among individuals possessing specific platelet count genes.
Platelets represent small, colorless cell segments inside blood that aggregate to form clots and halt bleeding. Investigators initially assigned participants genetic scores based on their blood platelet levels. They subsequently contrasted dementia rates between subjects taking aspirin and those given inactive dummy drugs called placebos.
Only 1 per cent of patients possessing the highest platelet counts who took aspirin developed dementia, against 3.3 per cent of volunteers given placebos. While the margin appears small, it translates to a 70 per cent reduced danger of the condition for aspirin consumers. Conversely, 4.4 per cent of aspirin takers suffered major bleeding, compared to 2.1 per cent of individuals given placebos.
The early stages of dementia
Dementia is not a single condition. It is caused by different physical diseases of the brain, like Alzheimer's and vascular dementia.
More than 980,000 people in the UK currently have it. And no matter the type, it affects everyone differently.
The first signs of it are often mild and easy to brush off, but can include:
- Memory problems (e.g. being unable to recall recent events or losing keys)
- Planning and thinking difficulties (e.g. finding complex decisions about finances hard)
- Language and communication trouble (e.g. struggling to find the right word)
- Poor orientation (e.g. getting lost easily in familiar areas)
- Visual-perceptual difficulties (e.g. problems judging distances)
- Changes in mood or emotion (e.g. feeling anxious or frightened or getting easily upset)
"Many people at the early stage of dementia stay largely independent and only need a bit of assistance with daily living," Alzheimer's UK says.
"It is important to focus on what the person can do and not to take over and do things for them.
"Instead, try doing things with them, for example helping the person develop a routine, reminder lists and prompts, and use technology."
Because dementia is progressive, it gets worse over time, usually over several years. Experts generally think of it in three stages:
- Early stage (mild)
- Middle stage (moderate)
- Late stage (severe)
"These stages can be used to understand how dementia is likely to change over time, and to help people prepare for the future," the charity adds.
"The stages also act as a guide to when certain treatments, such as medicines for Alzheimer's disease, are likely to work best."
Most people who develop dementia are over the age of 65. Anyone diagnosed before this is considered to have young-onset dementia, which affects about 70,800 people in the UK.
Because aspirin prevents platelets from clumping, it raises hemorrhage hazards. Dr Peter Fransquet, research fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash, noted that genetic screening might soon accompany dementia prevention planning.
"Previous trials found aspirin didn't prevent dementia when everyone was considered together," he said.
"Our findings suggest there may be more to the story.
"In people with this particular genetic profile, we saw substantially fewer cases of dementia among those taking aspirin.
"It raises the possibility that genetics could one day help us identify who may benefit from a preventive treatment, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach."
"If it holds up, the fact that aspirin is already cheap and widely available could make personalized dementia prevention a real possibility," researchers added in their paper.
Past studies linked memory decline to platelet activity and aggregation processes. Still, the manner in which platelet counts affect dementia vulnerability remained unknown until now.
The fresh results emphasize that blood platelets warrant deeper study regarding cognitive decline. Dr Fransquet stated that the signal avoided ties to established Alzheimer's genetic risks.
These comprise high-risk genes driving dementia likelihood, such as APOE-e4, present in an estimated 40 to 65 per cent of Alzheimer's patients.
"Instead, it's pointing us towards platelet biology and gives us a new avenue to investigate," the scientist added.
Despite favorable outcomes, authors stressed that confirmation requires additional trials. People should avoid starting aspirin for dementia prevention without medical consultation, specifically given elevated serious bleeding threats.
This development follows warnings that worldwide dementia diagnoses could reach 25 million annually by 2050.
