Research
Common osteoporosis drugs linked to 24% lower dementia risk in major study
The Brief
- A large study of more than 120,000 older adults found that common osteoporosis drugs were linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, by up to 24%.
- The findings raise the possibility that medications already used to strengthen bones could also help protect against dementia.
- The available excerpt does not describe the study design, so the findings cannot yet be read as proof of a causal effect.
Why it matters
The result suggests that drugs already in clinical use for bone health might have a dementia-related effect worth testing further. Science readers should note that the excerpt does not give the study design or the drug names.
Who’s affected
- older adults
- clinicians and researchers in dementia and osteoporosis
- #dementia
- #osteoporosis
- #alzheimers
- #drug repurposing
- #cohort study
A massive study of more than 120,000 older adults suggests that common osteoporosis drugs may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by up to 24%. The surprising findings raise the possibility that medications already used to strengthen bones could also help…