Can a Nicotine Patch Sharpen Thinking in Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Dr. Kumar’s Take

This 6 month trial asked a simple question: can a nicotine patch help thinking in people with mild cognitive impairment. The answer is a careful yes for test scores and a no for overall clinical change. People on nicotine showed better attention and some memory on computer tests. Clinicians did not rate patients as clearly better in daily life. Side effects were mostly mild.

My bottom line: this is interesting biology, not a green light for self treatment. If you or a loved one has memory concerns, focus first on proven pillars like sleep, exercise, blood pressure control, and hearing support. If you are curious about research use of nicotine, talk with your clinician and avoid over the counter experiments.

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Can Statins Worsen Dementia Symptoms? A Surprising Pilot Study Suggests So

Dr. Kumar’s Take:

This small but well-designed study raises an important question: Could statins, widely prescribed to protect the heart, be harming the brain—especially in those already struggling with dementia? Researchers found that stopping statins in Alzheimer’s patients led to better memory scores, while restarting the statins brought the memory issues back. This suggests some patients with dementia might benefit from pausing their statin, under medical supervision.

Key Takeaways:

✔ Stopping statins improved memory scores in patients with dementia.
✔ Restarting statins brought the memory decline back.
✔ No serious side effects were reported during withdrawal or rechallenge.
✔ Cholesterol levels predictably went up off statins and dropped again when restarted.

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