Researchers seem to have come to a conclusion involving painkillers such aspirin and ibuprofen and their influence on someone’s chance to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

The new research examined data from six studies involving 13,499 people without dementia and concluded that those who used aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brands) and naproxen (Aleve and other brands), all known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), had a 23 percent lower risk for Alzheimer’s compared with people who did not use these drugs. Over the course of these six studies, 820 participants developed Alzheimer’s.

However, the risk reduction did not seem to depend upon the type of NDSAID taken, study author Peter P. Zandi, PhD, with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, said, according to Science Daily. “This is an interesting finding because it seems to challenge a current theory that the NSAID group which includes ibuprofen may work better in reducing a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s.”

However good NSAIDs were in preventing Alzheimer’s, Dr. Zandi underlined the risks posed by the long-term use of these drugs. They can cause serious gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, Dr. Zandi did not recommend permanent use of NSAIDs just to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s causes a progressive loss of memory and mental faculties, which can be devastating for the patients concerned and those around them. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 18 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2025, that number is expected to reach 34 million, as existing drugs can ease symptoms but do not stop the disease.

The findings of the new study were published in the May 28 online issue of Neurology.