Statins--a cure-all for the brain?

Menge, Til; Hartung, Hans-Peter; Stüve, Olaf · Nat Rev Neurosci · 2005

review · Level V

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Abstract

'Statins' are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors - oral cholesterol-lowering drugs that are used to treat hypercholesterolaemia. It is widely accepted that statins have anti-inflammatory effects that are independent of their ability to lower cholesterol. Animal studies and observational clinical studies have indicated that statins might also be effective in treating certain neurological diseases - in particular, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and ischaemic stroke. At present, however, results from ongoing prospective, randomized clinical trials are not available.

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