One of the headline articles in the Thursday April 23rd 2009 edition of USA Today reads: "Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Don't Cut Dementia Risk, They Raise It." So much for all of the conventional wisdom we have been deluged in for so long.

USA Today describes the findings reported in Neurology magazine. The article quotes Eric Larson, executive director of Group Health Center for Health Studeis as he analyzes the results of a large and very long study. 'Researchers followed 2,736 members of Group Health who were an average age of 75 at the start of trhe study. The participants in the study were tracked for 12 years to see if they developed dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The pharmacy records were evaluate for use of prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers, and they were questioned avbout their NSAID use as well. (NSAID's - Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, such as Naproxen and Ibuprofen (Advil) were among the drugs used in the study.)

"During the study, 476 people developed dementia, and heavy NSAID users had a 66% higher risk of develping the condition than those with low or no use. (Heavy users took at least one NSAID a day for at least 16 months of a two year period. )

"Larson says he was surprsied at the outcome because inflammation is thought to play a role in dementia and because other studies suggested anti-inflammatory pills lowerd dementia risk...We did not expect these findings."

Duke aging expert Murali Doraiswamy says the latest results aren't a revelation to him and that previous trials evaluating Vioxx, aspirn and prednisone, among other anti-inflammatory medications, did not show reduced risks cognitive decline."

It would appear that for some of our medical experts it is once again "back to the drawing boards!"