HealthScience DailyLow-dose aspirin linked to 70% lower dementia risk, but there's a catch
A study found low-dose aspirin cut dementia risk by 70 per cent in people with a specific genetic profile, but the same group also had double the rate of major bleeding.
A common, inexpensive medication could hold an unexpected clue to preventing dementia. Researchers found that older adults with a specific genetic profile had a 70% lower relative risk of dementia when taking low-dose aspirin, even though previous studies found no overall protective effect. The discovery suggests that genetics could help explain why some people benefit while others do not.
Researchers from Monash University found that low-dose aspirin was linked to a 70 per cent lower relative risk of dementia, but only in people with a specific genetic profile related to platelet count.
The study, published in Alzheimer's and Dementia journal, drew on genetic data from more than 13,500 participants in the ASPREE Trial of older adults.
Lead author Dr Peter Fransquet said the findings raise the possibility that genetics could one day help identify who might benefit from aspirin as a dementia prevention strategy, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Researchers say do not start taking aspirin for dementia prevention without talking to your GP first, as the bleeding risk is significant and the benefit depends on your genetics.
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