"Alzheimers disease the most common form of dementia can be fully cured with an antiinflammatory drug commonly used for period pain a new research by the University of Manchester shows. Currently no drug medications can successfully treat chronic neurodegenerative disease but certain medicines can help alleviate symptoms or slow down the progression. Researchers who conducted the study on mice found that mefenamic acid  a common NonSteroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug NSAID used to relieve menstrual pain  can completely reverse memory loss and brain inflammation that are hallmark changes of Alzheimers which currently affects http over five million Americans. For the study researchers used  transgenic mice that develop symptoms of Alzheimers disease. The research was conducted when mice had developed memory problems. They were divided in groups of . First group was given mefenamic acid dose and the other group was given placebo for one month through a minipump implanted under the skin. Researchers observed that memory loss was fully reversed to the levels seen in mice without Alzheimers. There is experimental evidence now to strongly suggest that inflammation in the brain makes Alzheimers disease worse. Our research shows for the first time that mefenamic acid a simple NSAID can target an important inflammatory pathway called the NLRP inflammasome which damages brain cells David Brough lead author of the study said in a statement http_releasesuomtof.php. Brough however cautioned that further research is required to identify its impact on humans and the longterm implications. However much more work needs to be done until we can say with certainty that it will tackle the disease in humans as mouse models dont always faithfully replicate the human disease. Because this drug is already available and the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of the drug is known the time for it to reach patients should in theory be shorter than if we were developing completely new drugs Brough said. Researchers said that the lab results identify a class of existing drugs that are likely to treat Alzheimers by blocking a particular part of the immune response. But they also warned that these drugs are not without side effects and should not be taken for Alzheimers disease at this stage  studies in people are needed first. The research was published in the journal Nature Communications on Thursday."