Aspirin could be associated with a significantly lower risk of developing dementia among older adults with a particular set of genetics, a new study has found. Researchers at Monash University, Australia, found that low-dose aspirin was associated with a 70 percent lower risk of dementia among those with specific genetics that influence platelet count. The study was published in the journal of the Alzheimer's Association: Alzheimer's and Dementia on September 24.
The platelet is the smallest component of the human blood—a cell fragment with the primary job of stopping bleeding when injury occurs. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets cluster together to form a plug, then a clot, to stop blood loss. Researchers have previously estimated that 42 percent of Americans over the age of 55 will eventually develop dementia, a condition associated with an ongoing decline in brain functioning, resulting in a wide range of symptoms.
The researchers analyzed genetic data from the ASPREE Trial (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly), which included more than 13,500 participants to find out if genetics could influence how aspirin changed dementia risk. They ranked participants according to their platelet-related genetic score. The results showed that 1 percent of those with the highest platelet counts, who also took aspirin, developed dementia.
Meanwhile, 3.3 percent of those taking a placebo went on to develop the disease. This is equivalent to roughly a 70 percent lower risk. "I think the finding points towards the possibility of a much more personalized approach to dementia prevention," lead study author Dr.
Peter Fransquet, who is also a research fellow at Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, told Newsweek. "For example, aspirin wasn't shown to prevent dementia when the overall ASPREE trial population was analyzed," he said. "However when we looked at people’s genetic makeup, we identified a sub-group with a specific genetic signature who appeared to benefit from aspirin use." He said that while the finding still "needs to be independently confirmed," it suggests that "genetics could help us identify people who might benefit from existing preventive treatments more than others." However, it also found that aspirin notably increased risk of serious bleeding within the group.
Among those taking aspirin, 4.4 percent experienced major bleeding, compared with 2.1 percent of those taking the placebo. "Like any medication, the benefits and harms need to be weighted up against each other," Fransquet said. "Next steps would involve confirming the finding, and better understanding the underlying biological relationship between aspirin, platelet count and dementia risk," he said.
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