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(05/29/2025) Researchers from Columbia, South Carolina, VA and University of Virginia discovered drugs used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B may also lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The researchers previously showed nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) lessen the body's inflammatory response and cell death, both considered contributors to AD. In this study, they analyzed the records of 72,000 older Veterans with a diagnosis of HIV or hepatitis B over a 24-year period. Every one year taking an NRTI was associated with a 4% reduced hazard of AD. Analysis of nearly 200,000 non-Veterans in a separate database also showed NRTIs significantly lowered AD risk. Other anti-HIV therapies did not appear to lower this risk. While the work is preliminary, the findings suggest NRTIs have potential to help prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease. (Alzheimer's & Dementia, May 2025)