NCT00486044COMPLETEDResults postedPhase 2The purpose of this study is to see how simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, affects processes related to the development of Alzheimer's disease, including: 1) levels of a substance called beta-amyloid-42 found in the spinal fluid surrounding the brain, 2) blood flow in the brain, 3) inflammation in the brain, and 4) cognitive function.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 35 to 69 * Parent with Alzheimer's disease Exclusion Criteria: * Current use of cholesterol-lowering medication * Active liver disease * History of adverse reaction to statins * Contraindication to lumbar puncture * Elevated lab values (creatine kinase and creatinine) * Use of medications known to interact with statins * History of dementia * Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant * Use of large quantities of grapefruit juice (more than 1 quart per day) * Current involvement in another investigational drug study * Contraindications to MRI (for MRI sub-study) * Ethical contraindication to placebo (persons with high vascular risk)