Alzheimer's Matters Blog

Could an Erectile Dysfunction Drug Treat Dementia?

December 18, 2014

Category: Developing Drugs

Hand holding blue pill

 

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and the Alzheimer’s Society UK have teamed up to support a trial of an erectile dysfunction drug as a possible treatment for vascular dementia.

Researchers led by Dr. Atticus Hainsworth of St. George’s University of London are studying whether taladafil, which works by dilating blood vessels, could also help patients with vascular dementia by increasing blood flow to the brain.

This is the first-ever study researching the use of an erectile dysfunction drug for vascular dementia, a form of dementia that affects an estimated one million Americans and is often seen in combination with Alzheimer’s disease.

We hope to see results from this exciting proof-of-concept study within the next year.