Back to Journals » Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment » Volume 4 » Issue 5

Intrathecal corticosteroids might slow Alzheimer’s disease progression

Authors Alisky J

Published 10 October 2008 Volume 2008:4(5) Pages 831—833

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S3685

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Joseph Martin Alisky1,2

1Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation; 2Marshfield Clinic-Thorp Center, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA

Abstract: Anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease have to date proved disappointing, including a large study of low-dose prednisone, but higher dose steroids significantly reduced amyloid secretion in a small series of nondemented patients. In addition, there is a case report of a patient with amyloid angiopathy who had complete remission from two doses of dexamethasone, and very high dose steroids are already used for systemic amyloidosis. This paper presents the hypothesis that pulse-dosed intrathecal methylprednisolone or dexamethasone will produce detectable slowing of Alzheimer’s progression, additive to that obtained with cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. A protocol based on treatment regimens for multiple sclerosis and central nervous system lupus is outlined, to serve as a basis for formulating clinical trials. Ultimately intrathecal corticosteroids might become part of a multi-agent regimen for Alzheimer’s disease and also have application for other neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, corticosteroids

Creative Commons License © 2008 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.