Gout may lessen risk of Alzheimer’s disease

People who have gout are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, concludes research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Gout appears to have a protective effect for the brain, possibly due to uric acid, the chemical in a person’s blood that can crystallise, leading to gout, according to a team of researchers from north America. Gout, the most common inflammatory arthritis, is linked to a higher risk of heart and kidney problems and their resulting health issues, but previous studies have theorised that the antioxidant properties of uric acid may protect against the development or progression of…