NSAIDs and Dementia Risk

Send us Fan MailSometimes the most profound scientific discoveries come from examining the most ordinary things. Take those over-the-counter painkillers in your medicine cabinet — the ones you reach for when you have a headache or back pain. According to emerging research, they might be doing more than just dulling your immediate discomfort. They could potentially be protecting your brain from dementia.A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society has uncovered something that challenges our conventional thinking about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Drawing from the Rotterdam study, which has tracked the health of thousands of people over decades, researchers found that long-term use of NSAIDs — defined as more than two years — was associated with a decreased risk of developing dementia.Yes, you read that correctly. Decreased risk. This finding stands in stark contrast to what many of us might have expected. We're often trained to view medications skeptically, to worry about side effects and long-term consequences. But here we have evidence suggesting that common painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen might actually offer neuroprotective benefits when used consistently over time. ... continue reading the article Long-Term Exposure to Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medication in Relation to Dementia RiskThis is Heliox: Where Evidence Meets EmpathyIndependent, moderated, timely, deep, gentle, clinical, global, and community conversations about things that matter.  Breathe Easy, we go deep and lightly surface the big ideas. Support the showDisclosure: This podcast uses AI-generated synthetic voices for a material portion of the audio content, in line with Apple Podcasts guidelines. We make rigorous science accessible, accurate, and unforgettable.Produced by Michelle Bruecker and Scott Bleackley, it features reviews of emerging research and ideas from leading thinkers, curated under our creative direction with AI assistance for voice, imagery, and composition. Systemic voices and illustrative images of people are representative tools, not depictions of specific individuals.We dive deep into peer-reviewed research, pre-prints, and major scientific works—then bring them to life through the stories of the researchers themselves. Complex ideas become clear. Obscure discoveries become conversation starters. And you walk away understanding not just what scientists discovered, but why it matters and how they got there.Independent, moderated, timely, deep, gentle, clinical, global, and community conversations about things that matter.  Breathe Easy, we go deep and lightly surface the big ideas.Spoken word, short and sweet, with rhythm and a catchy beat.http://tinyurl.com/stonefolksongs