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NSAIDs and Alzheimer disease: epidemiological, animal model and clinical studies
McGeer PL, McGeer EG.. Neurobiology of aging, 2006-05-11
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
This review reports correlations between four independent fields related to inflammation and Alzheimer disease: fundamental pathology, epidemiology, transgenic animal studies and clinical trials. Activated microglia, along with a spectrum of inflammatory mediators, have been identified in association with the lesions of Alzheimer disease (AD), suggesting that antiinflammatory agents such as NSAIDs should protect against the disease. In multiple epidemiological investigations testing this hypothesis, a significant risk reduction, or a trend towards such a reduction has been observed in long term as opposed to short term users of traditional NSAIDs.
Key findings
- Activated microglia, along with a spectrum of inflammatory mediators, have been identified in association with the lesions of Alzheimer disease (AD), suggesting that antiinflammatory agents such as NSAIDs should protect against the disease.
- In multiple epidemiological investigations testing this hypothesis, a significant risk reduction, or a trend towards such a reduction has been observed in long term as opposed to short term users of traditional NSAIDs.
- In studies where such NSAIDs have been administered to AD transgenic mice, a dose dependent reduction in pathology was observed.
- The selective C0X-2 inhibitors were ineffective.
Why it matters
This review reports that long-term users of traditional NSAIDs showed a significant risk reduction or a trend towards it in epidemiological studies, while clinical trials are also discussed. It does not establish NSAIDs as a proven treatment or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 497 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 23.7 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 21.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 21 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 32 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Edith G. McGeer: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of British Columbia: institution h-index 1,424 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16697488) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
McGeer, P. L., & McGeer, E. G. (2007). NSAIDs and Alzheimer disease: epidemiological, animal model and clinical studies. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.03.013
Vancouver
McGeer PL, McGeer EG. NSAIDs and Alzheimer disease: epidemiological, animal model and clinical studies. Neurobiology of aging. 2007. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.03.013. PMID: 16697488.
BibTeX
@article{mcgeer2007-16697488,
author = {McGeer, P. L. and McGeer, E. G.},
title = {{NSAIDs and Alzheimer disease: epidemiological, animal model and clinical studies}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.03.013},
pmid = {16697488},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.03.013}
}
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