People take aspirin for pain, fever, and even in hopes of warding off a heart attack. Could this old, over-the-counter pill also help control multiple sclerosis? A November 27 report in Science Signaling suggests as much—in mice. Scientists led by Kalipada Pahan, Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago, claim that a small, daily dose of aspirin suppressed inflammation, demyelination, and autoimmune responses in mice modeling MS. It worked by restoring regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs), which rein in self-reactive T cells.

Given that Tregs also dwindle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the new data beg the question of whether aspirin could benefit ALS patients. “In both MS and ALS, the number and function of Tregs decrease, resulting in aberrant immune responses and increased inflammation,” Pahan wrote to Alzforum, “It has been already shown that infusion of Tregs slows the progression of ALS, so there is a possibility that low-dose aspirin may delay the progression of ALS via boosting Tregs.”

However, Pahan cautioned that long-term use of even baby aspirin (81 mg/day) may cause stomach upset and heartburn. Bradley Turner, University of Melbourne, Australia, also urged caution, noting there is little evidence of a connection between aspirin and ALS. “It is unclear whether the same mechanisms are operating in ALS and its animal models. However, this would be an interesting future line of inquiry,” Turner wrote to Alzforum.

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