Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE, ETR:PFE) had some rare good news in a tough 12 months for the US pharma as a new study suggested that men who take Viagra for erectile dysfunction might have a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Research involving over 260,000 men found that those using drugs like Viagra were 18% less likely to develop the condition, researchers from University College London found.
Viagra, originally designed for high blood pressure and angina, acts on a cell-signalling messenger potentially linked to memory and might have a protective effect on the brain.
However, the study, which also observed a lower incidence of Alzheimer's among regular users, emphasises the need for further research to confirm these findings and explore the mechanisms involved.
This connection is attributed to Viagra's impact on a cellular messenger involved in memory processes, suggesting a protective effect on the brain.
Francesco Tamagnini, a neurophysiologist at Reading University, told the BBC it was "a great study", but more evidence was needed.
"It could be that it exerts a therapeutic effect directly affecting neurons and/or by increasing blood flow, but both these hypotheses need to be tested," he said.