Postmortem studies of the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on Alzheimer-type pathology and associated inflammation.
Examining postmortem tissue is the most direct way of evaluating the effect of antemortem drug use on the pathological processes believed to be important in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A small number of studies have recently been published in which data from human autopsy tissue and animal models provides important insight into the mechanisms by which anti-inflammatory (AI) agents may protect against AD. These indicate that certain classes of AI drugs may be capable of reducing the chronic inflammation which is consistently seen in AD brain tissue. In addition, a recent study using a transgenic mouse model of AD, suggests that AI therapy may also influence the accumulation of senile plaques and dystrophic neurites. The results of these and future postmortem studies will be invaluable in the development of optimum treatment strategies.
Mackenzie
I R
IR
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. imackenz@vanhosp.bc.ca
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D013256:Steroids
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013256:Steroids