Statins could fight Alzheimer's if prescribed in its early stages

According to the experts cholesterol-busting statins can be helpful in the treatment Alzheimer's disease if prescribed in its early stage.

From the earlier studies simvastatin is known to improve the blood flow in the brains of a year old lab mice suffering from Alzheimer's.

Scientists have now found that it also stimulates the learning and memory potential, but only in six-month-old mice when the Alzheimer?s disorder has not progressed, according to the Mirror.

Moreover, the drug showed no effect on an Alzheimer's hallmark - the buildup of amyloid beta protein in the brain.

Though, Simvastatin can be made available over the counter but its effect on human Alzheimer's is still ambiguous, Canada's McGill University said.

"This study shows that simvastatin can protect against some of the damaging effects of Alzheimer's disease on nerve cells involved in memory, if administered early in the disease process," study leader Dr Edith Hamel added in the Journal of Neuroscience.

"Overall evidence suggests that statins like simvastatin do not benefit people with dementia, but this new mouse study suggests that the timing of treatment could be vital?, said Dr Simon Ridley, from the charity Alzheimer's Research UK.

"Many experts believe that treatments for dementia will be most beneficial if given very early in the disease process". Ridley added.

"While these new findings are valuable, the benefits are shown in mice and we don't know how they will bear out in humans", he said.

"There is a real need to push on with research that will boost early detection and help people with dementia get more benefit from treatments," he added.

"This article joins an increasing number of pre-clinical studies demonstrating that statins, in particular simvastatin - which easily penetrates the brain - can counteract some aspects of Alzheimer's disease, despite seeing no effects on amyloid-beta protein", said US Alzheimer's expert Dr Ling Li, from the University of Minnesota .

"Although several clinical trials have yet to show the benefits of statins for Alzheimer's disease, the key now is to figure out how to translate these exciting findings from bench to bedside," Dr Li added.

-With inputs from ANI.