Alzheimer’s could be stopped by ‘statin’ pill

Scientists hope drugs could be given to people before symptoms appear to stop the disease progressing
Scientists hope drugs could be given to people before symptoms appear to stop the disease progressing
MARKUS VON LUECKEN/CORBIS

Scientists have found a method that could halt Alzheimer’s in its early stages, raising the prospect of “statin-like drugs” to stave off the disease.

Researchers have found that improving the body’s natural defences could hold Alzheimer’s at bay in a discovery that paves the way for new treatments.

Laboratory studies suggest that a naturally occurring molecule can stop the build-up of the deadly protein tangles which are thought to be crucial in the progression of the disease.

Experts said that the “exciting” early-stage results would help to pinpoint the most promising early treatments. Researchers even speculated that healthy people could one day be prescribed a drug that could protect against the disease in the same way that statins are taken by millions to prevent heart