Thinking outside the box about COX-1 in Alzheimer's disease.

This article from Coma et al. shows that a salicylic acid derivative Triflusal, a platelet aggregation inhibitor and irreversible inhibitor of COX-1, can correct defects in axonal curvature and cognition in an AD transgenic mouse model (Tg2576) (Coma et al., 2010). Here we discuss the controversy over the role of COX-1 in AD, which has not been considered carefully in part due to the presumed adverse gastrointestinal effects of COX-1 antagonism. However, recent clinical data from this group as well as other groups challenges this assumption that COX-1 antagonism will be associated with side effects. Most importantly this article raises critical questions about the role of COX-1, versus COX-2 versus both in Abeta pathogenesis. The animal model data in this article as well as the recently published trial data suggest that COX-1 may play an important role in early pathogenesis and should not be ignored as a potential target for early intervention.