Low-dose aspirin improves memory in mice with Alzheimer’s symptoms

Aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs. Besides providing pain relief, it has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer and heart attacks. Some suggest that aspirin might also protect against Alzheimer’s disease because the disease is less common in aspirin users than nonusers. But without proper clinical trials, the link is still uncertain. A new study led by Kalipada Pahan of Rush University Medical Center may provide mechanistic clues that underpin that link. Using computer modeling and biochemical experiments, the researchers found that aspirin binds to a receptor called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), which is involved in fatty acid metabolism.