University of Iowa researchers have discovered a link between common prostate medications and a lower risk of dementia caused by Lewy bodies (DLB).
The research team analyzed data from 643,000 men who had recently started one of six medications to treat enlarged prostate.
Three drugs: terazosin (Tz), doxazosin (Dz), and alfuzosin (Az), enhance energy production in brain cells.
Previous studies have shown that this ability may help slow or prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
The other three medications: tamsulosin and two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, do not enhance energy production in the brain.
The researchers followed the participants for about 3 years, and found that those who took the medications Tz, Dz, or Az were less likely to develop dementia caused by Lewy bodies.
"Diseases like dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, or Alzheimer's disease are debilitating, and we don't really have any good treatments that can modify the progression of the disease," said lead author Jacob Simmering. "We can treat the symptoms, but we can't actually slow the disease." "Men taking Tz/Dz/Az had an approximately 40% lower risk of developing DLB than men taking tamsulosin, and an approximately 37% lower risk compared with men taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors."
The researchers said they are excited about the potential of these drugs, which have already been approved, are inexpensive and have been used safely for decades.
It is noteworthy that dementia accompanied by Lewy bodies is the third most common disease causing dementia, after Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
Symptoms can include: visual hallucinations, sleep problems, problems with rapid thinking and language, and slow movement.
The results were published in the journal Neuroscience.
These affordable, safe drugs offer new hope for combating neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's.
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