A large - scale leaf report in the journalNature Aginghas identified sildenafil – otherwise know by its firebrand nameViagra – as a potential prospect for the intervention and prevention of Alzheimer ’s disease ( AD ) . After analyse insurance claims data from more than seven million hoi polloi in the US , the study writer observe that claimants who have sildenafil were almost 70 per centum less probable to build up AD than those who did not use the drug .
Viagra belongs to a class of medicine known as phosphodiesterase inhibitors , which promote the dilation of origin vessels and cause the relaxation behavior of muscular tissue in and around the kernel , lungs , and genitals . It is most commonly used to treat cavernous dysfunction and pulmonary high blood pressure , although prior enquiry has hint at a potential role for phosphodiesterase inhibitors in the handling ofdementia .
The study authors began by analyzing the biological underpinnings of AD for place 13 dissimilar genetically verify physiological mechanisms – or endophenotypes – that are associated with the disease . In total , these 13 endophenotypes were find to be dependent upon the interactions between 351,444 unlike protein interactions .
The most significant of these interactions was that between amyloid and tau proteins , both of which are love to roll up in the brain ofAlzheimer’spatients , and are considered to be a major number one wood of the disease .
“ Recent studies show that the interplay between amyloid and tau is a big contributor to Alzheimer ’s than either by itself , ” explained study author Dr Feixiong Cheng in astatement . “ Therefore , we hypothesized that drug aim the molecular connection intersection of amyloid and tau endophenotypes should have the greatest electric potential for success . ”
The investigator therefore examine the impact of over 1,600 FDA - approved drug on the various protein call for with AD , and base thatsildenafilwas the most effective at disrupting the interaction between amyloid and tau proteins .
Building on this finding , they assessed insurance policy claims made by 7.2 million people , give away that Viagra users were 69 percent less likely than non - users to be diagnose with Alzheimer ’s within six years of contain the drug . Unsurprisingly , the majority of claimant who take the drug were men , although the writer posit that their determination hold unfeigned even after adjust for sexual practice , eld , and subspecies .
Finally , the squad used stem cells from an AD patient in gild to generate neuron in a petri dish , and noted that the addition of sildenafil sparked increased neuronal increment and inhibited the accumulation of tau proteins . While this reflection points towards a possible mechanics for the drug ’s ability to protect against Alzheimer ’s , the researcher assert that their subject field does not set up causality and that more work is call for so as to confirm the efficacy of Viagra for the handling of AD .
“ Because our findings only establish an association between sildenafil use and decreased incidence of Alzheimer ’s disease , we are now planning a mechanistic trial and a phase II randomise clinical trial to test causality and confirm sildenafil ’s clinical benefits for Alzheimer ’s patients , ” said Cheng . “We also previse our attack being applied to other neurodegenerative disease , including Parkinson ’s disease and amyotrophic sidelong induration , to speed the drug uncovering operation . ”
