According to a new research, a low-dose aspirin regimen may represent a new avenue for reducing Alzheimer's disease pathology.

A study conducted by Society for Neuroscience stated that impaired clearance of toxic amyloid beta, especially from the hippocampus, is a leading mechanism. Activating the cellular machinery responsible for removing waste from the brain has,therefore, emerged as a promising strategy for slowing the disease. Alzheimer's disease is a fatal form of dementia that affects people of age 65 or above.

Amyloid beta forms clumps called amyloid plaques, which harm connections between nerve cells and are one of the major causes of Alzheimer's disease. However, it has been found that a link between aspirin and Alzheimer's disease decreases amyloid plaque pathology in mice by stimulating lysosomes. Lysosomes are the component of animal cells that help clear cellular debris.

The research also established aspirin's uses for pain relief and for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. "The results of our study identifies a possible new role for one of the most widely used, common, over-the-counter medications in the world," said Kalipada Pahan, senior author of the study. The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience.