Date of Award:

12-2011

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

JoAnn T. Tschanz

Committee

JoAnn T. Tschanz

Committee

Heidi J. Wengreen

Committee

M. Scott DeBerard

Committee

Christopher D. Corcoran

Committee

Beth E. Foley

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has multiple factors that contribute to the disease process. Among these is a state of chronic inflammation that is endured by the brain during the aging process. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decreases the amount of neuroinflammation sustained by the brain, and greater levels of NSAID use have been demonstrated to be associated with decreased probability of developing AD. This study looked at whether greater rates of NSAID use were also associated with decreased rates of cognitive and funtional decline and survival in a population-based sample of persons with AD. Linear mixed models failed to find any association between any NSAID use, duration of use, or timing of use (before or after AD onset) and cognitive and functional outcomes. Cox regression models did not find any association between any NSAID use, NSAID use before or after AD onset, or duration of NSAID use and participant survival. The conclusion of this project is that NSAIDs do not affect AD progression or survival rates of persons with AD. These results are discussed within the scope of the current literature.

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Comments

This work made publicly available electronically on August 9, 2011.

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