A COMMON cholesterol-lowering drug may be effective against Alzheimer's if given at an early stage of the disease, new research suggests.

The findings, from a study on mice, add to laboratory evidence that cholesterol-lowering statins may prevent some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Earlier work by the same Canadian team showed simvastatin improved blood flow in the brains of year-old laboratory mice with Alzheimer's.

The new study found the drug also boosted learning and memory but only in younger six-month-old animals whose disease had not progressed far.

Dr Simon Ridley, from the charity Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Many experts believe that treatments for dementia will be most beneficial if given very early in the disease process.

"While these new findings are valuable, the benefits are shown in mice and we don't know how they will bear out in humans. There is a real need to push on with research that will boost early detection and help people with dementia get more benefit."