title: Reduced Incidence of Dementia in Solid Organ Transplant Patients Treated with Calcineurin Inhibitors.
abstract: Experimental evidence suggests that the protein phosphatase calcineurin mediates the action of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers, the most toxic amyloid species thought to drive initial cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is currently no evidence that inhibition of calcineurin could prevent the onset of AD in humans. Here, we report for the first time that individuals chronically treated with calcineurin inhibitors to prevent solid organ transplant rejection have a significantly lower incidence of AD/dementia as compared to the general population. This result prompts further clinical development of calcineurin inhibition as a viable treatment for AD.
authors.affiliation: Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taglialatela
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rastellini
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cicalese
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; FK506; calcineurin; dementia; solid organ transplant