On Medicine

I remember visiting a sick uncle when I was younger. Gradually, he became more and more confused—less aware of who his visitors were. He had dementia, as did my great-grandmother, who my mom says would get so disoriented that she'd even try to jump out the window of the family home.

Knowing my family history, I've been interested in studies that have come out in recent weeks, suggesting that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, like naproxen, ibuprofen, and Celebrex, may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. But because the findings—including one just out today—conflict with those of other recent studies, I decided to sort out the details.

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