Health
Alzheimer's disease could be prevented by antiviral drug already on market
An existing drug for HIV could double as a preventative therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers.
NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) are antivirals that are approved to treat HIV infection, but scientists from UVA Health at the University of Virginia found that patients taking them were less likely to develop the common form of dementia.
There was a roughly 10% annual reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in people taking NRTIs for every year of use of these drugs, according to lead study author Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at UVA, who spoke to Fox News Digital about the finding.
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After coming across another mechanism that could potentially prevent Alzheimer’s, the researchers analyzed 24 years of health insurance data, including 270,000 patients.
The Alzheimer’s risk reduction among patients taking NRTIs was “significant and substantial,” the researchers wrote in the findings, which were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
An existing drug for HIV could double as a preventative therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers. (iStock)
Now, the UVA team is calling for clinical trials of NRTIs to gauge their use for treating Alzheimer’s.
Approximately 10 million people worldwide are diagnosed with the common dementia each year.
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“This level of protection could translate into 60,000 fewer cases of Alzheimer’s disease every year in our country, and up to one million fewer cases every year around the world,” Ambati told Fox News Digital.
In addition to keeping the HIV virus from replicating, NRTIs also prevent the activation of inflammasomes, proteins that are involved in the development of Alzheimer’s.
“This level of protection could translate into 60,000 fewer cases of Alzheimer’s disease every year in our country, and up to one million fewer cases every year around the world,” the lead study author told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“We had previously shown that NRTIs blocked the inflammasome, so it wasn’t altogether surprising that people taking NRTIs might be protecting against this disease,” Ambati noted.
“However, the degree of protection against Alzheimer’s was quite surprising.”
“It is very possible that this drug may be useful in Alzheimer’s prevention.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.
“Inflammasomes are intracellular protein complexes that trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines,” he told Fox News Digital. “HIV uses these inflammasomes to fight the immune system.”
Repurposing existing drugs can offer a “promising pathway,” according to an expert from the Alzheimer’s Association. (iStock)
“These chemicals are likely responsible for making Alzheimer’s worse, or for accelerating the process of cognitive decline based on neuro-inflammation.”
Rebecca Edelmeyer, Ph.D., vice president of Scientific Engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, also reviewed the study’s findings, which she called “interesting.”
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“Further research and specifically designed clinical trials are needed to fully understand the potential future use of NRTIs to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, but the study highlights the potential role drug repurposing can play in advancing new Alzheimer’s treatments,” she told Fox News Digital.
Repurposing existing drugs can offer a “promising pathway,” according to Edelmayer. As existing drugs’ safety and side effects are often already known, the studies can be quicker and less expensive than with new treatments, she added.
Potential limitations and next steps
The research team acknowledged some limitations of the study.
“Like all retrospective health insurance database studies, the findings of our study are an association between this class of drugs and the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” Ambati told Fox News Digital.
“They don’t necessarily provide a cause and effect — however, the fact that we found this link in multiple databases increases confidence in this result.”
Siegel agreed that the new study is observational, but noted that it takes place over many years.
“It also shows that only this particular HIV drug — inflammasome — dramatically decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s, not the other HIV drugs, including protease inhibitors,” the doctor said.
Nearly seven million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer’s, and the number is expected to reach 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. (iStock)
“I think this is convincing preliminary evidence that warrants further study,” Siegel added. “It is very possible that this drug may be useful in Alzheimer’s prevention, given the increasing evidence implicating immune dysregulation and inflammation as causes of AD.”
Looking ahead, the researchers have developed a new drug called K9. Like NRTIs, the novel medication blocks inflammasomes, but is “safer and more effective,” according to Ambati.
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“The fact that the new drug reversed memory loss and improved spatial learning in mice further increases confidence in our findings,” he told Fox News Digital.
The UVA team now plans to test K9 in clinical trials for Azheimer’s.
The study author cautioned that people should not take NRTIs for Alzheimer’s prevention unless they are in the context of a clinical trial. (iStock)
Ambati noted that people should not take NRTIs for Alzheimer’s prevention unless they are in the context of a clinical trial.
“If interested, they should be on the lookout for such trials for themselves or loved ones who may be affected,” he advised.
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Nearly seven million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer’s, and the number is expected to reach 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The UVA study was funded in part by the UVA Strategic Investment Fund and the National Institutes of Health.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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