Does daily aspirin use affect memory loss in aging? Research shows mixed results, with some animal studies suggesting benefits for memory through brain plasticity, while large human trials in older adults find no protection against memory decline or dementia.
Aspirin is a common drug people take every day for heart health, pain relief, or to thin the blood. As we age, worries about memory loss grow, especially with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Could a daily low dose of aspirin help protect the brain?
One study in animals found promising signs. Researchers saw that aspirin binds to a protein called PPARα in the hippocampus, the brain area key for memory and learning. This binding boosts a process called hippocampal plasticity, which helps brain cells form new connections. In mice with an Alzheimer’s-like condition, low-dose aspirin improved memory tasks, increased calcium flow in brain slices, and grew more dendritic spines on neurons. These effects depended on PPARα, as they did not happen in mice lacking that protein. The study also noted that people taking high doses of aspirin in real life had lower rates of Alzheimer’s and better thinking skills.
Human studies paint a different picture. The ASPREE trial followed over 19,000 healthy older adults, mostly over 70, for years. It tested daily low-dose aspirin, around 100 milligrams. Results showed no drop in risk for mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, aspirin did not slow memory loss or thinking decline in this group. Experts now advise against starting daily aspirin just for prevention in people over 60 without heart issues, due to bleeding risks outweighing brain benefits.
Other reports mention rare side effects. While not directly from aspirin, some drugs like statins taken alongside have linked to memory fog in older users, but aspirin itself lacks strong evidence for causing memory harm. Guidelines focus on heart patients who may need lifelong low doses, but not for brain protection alone.
Age matters too. For those in their 70s and beyond, skin thinning and easy bruising can happen with aspirin, but memory links stay unclear beyond trial data.
Sources
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1802021115
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/do-statins-affect-memory-or-scramble-your-brain
https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2026-01-02/is-trump-taking-too-much-aspirin-heres-what-experts-say
https://www.alzdiscovery.org/news-room/announcements
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12756043/
