Most people have heard of Viagra, and they know it as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). Fewer people know it as Revatio, which is indicated for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Even fewer people know that this drug, which goes by the generic name sildenafil, is being studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A recent study at the Cleveland Clinic has pointed to sildenafil as an option to not only prevent but treat Alzheimer’s.
About the Study
Published in Nature Aging Journal, this study aimed to examine existing therapies that could be potential treatments for AD. It utilized computational methodology and a database of more than seven million patients. Upon investigation, the researchers found that sildenafil was associated with a 69% incidence reduction in Alzheimer’s.
The reasoning behind this data lies in sildenafil’s ability to target “the molecular network intersection of amyloid and tau endophenotypes.” One of the underlying mechanisms of AD is the interaction and buildup of tau proteins and beta-amyloid in the brain, so it makes sense that drugs targeting this intersection would be beneficial.
Currently, this study only points to sildenafil as a method to help prevent Alzheimer’s, but further trials are in the planning stages to test it as an actual treatment for AD patients. Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic researchers believe that this treatment could also be useful to other neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS and Parkinson’s.
About Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes the degeneration and death of brain cells. It occurs in stages, with severity increasing as time goes on. In the later stages of the disease, people will experience significant memory loss and be unable to carry out everyday tasks. The major symptom of this condition is memory loss. Other issues that people experience include problems with thinking and reasoning, making judgments and decisions, planning and completing familiar tasks, and more. They will experience changes in personality and behavior. Other complications can also arise from Alzheimer’s, such as aspiration, pneumonia, infections, falls, fractures, bedsores, malnutrition, and dehydration.
Medical professionals believe that Alzheimer’s is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. What healthcare professionals do know is that brain cells deteriorate and die. They also suspect that plaques and tangles, which are both proteins, play an important role. There are risk factors that may heighten the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Age is a major factor, as people usually develop this condition after 65. If one has a relative that is affected, they are also at a higher risk. Females are also affected at a higher rate than males. Those with past head trauma, poor sleeping patterns, poor exercise patterns, or other unhealthy lifestyle habits have a higher chance of Alzheimer’s disease.
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