Common Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Lower Dementia Risk in HK Study
A University of Hong Kong study of more than 120,000 patients aged 60 and older found that bisphosphonate bone drugs were associated with a 16% to 24% lower risk of Alzheimer's and related dementias, depending on the comparison group.
Common osteoporosis drugs linked to a lower risk of dementia, according to a study of more than 120,000 older adults in Hong Kong by researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed). Patients taking the drugs had a 24% lower risk in one comparison.
The work was published in Alzheimer's & Dementia. It was carried out by scientists in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKUMed's LKS Faculty of Medicine.
The drugs are nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates, or NBPs. Doctors widely prescribe them to prevent bone loss and fractures. Alendronate and zoledronate are among the most common.
What the study found
The team analyzed electronic medical records from across Hong Kong covering 2005 through 2020. All patients were 60 or older and had osteoporosis or fragility fractures, meaning breaks that follow relatively minor injuries because bones have weakened.
Patients taking NBPs had a 16% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias than patients who received no osteoporosis medication.
The gap widened against patients on other types of osteoporosis drugs. In that comparison, dementia risk was 24% lower among NBP users.
The findings show an association. The researchers describe the drugs as established treatments that could potentially serve a second purpose in protecting the aging brain.
Why researchers looked at bone drugs
More than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, and that figure is projected to reach 139 million by 2050. The World Health Organization has named dementia a major global health priority.
The first drugs designed to slow Alzheimer's progression have recently gained approval. Their high cost, limited suitability for some patients and questions about effectiveness remain challenges, according to the researchers. That has increased interest in cheaper ways to prevent or delay dementia before symptoms start.
Osteoporosis and dementia often affect the same older adults. They share risk factors including older age, being female and low physical activity.
Earlier work by the same HKUMed team found that osteoporosis and fractures are independent risk factors for dementia. People who already live with dementia are also more likely to fall and break bones.
Scientists have also begun to find that some biological processes these drugs influence may play a part in the development of Alzheimer's and related dementias. That overlap prompted the team to test whether the bone drugs might benefit the brain as well as the skeleton.
