Study shows statins ineffective against Alzheimer's

CHICAGO According to a new study published in the journal Neurology, cholesterol-lowering drugs or statins have no effect on Alzheimer’s in patients, as stated by several news sources.

Several studies had been performed recently to study the effects of this class of drugs on Alzheimer’s, but this new study performed by the Rush University Medical Center came to the conclusion that the drugs should not be prescribed for Alzheimer’s disease.

Cholesterol appears to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s, inspiring a theory that lowering cholesterol might fight the disease. An alternative theory is that statins might fight Alzheimer’s by reducing inflammation in the body.

The Rush study followed volunteers for as long as 12 years. Similar “longitudinal” studies also have found that statins provide little or no Alzheimer’s benefit, stated Zoe Arvanitakis, a neurologist at the medical center and leader researcher of the study.