The first pill to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is being studied for use on the NHS. Regulators are due to make a decision on the drug called hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) in April.

What if the solution to Alzheimer’s disease lies not in combating the proteins that cause it, but in simply getting more sleep? A recent study points to an unexpected avenue of research: using a common sleeping pill to reduce the buildup of harmful proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s.

A study from Washington University in St. Louis found taking suvorexant, a common insomnia medication, for two nights slightly decreased amyloid-beta and tau proteins linked to Alzheimer's. Researchers suggest improving sleep may help prevent Alzheimer's,

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis found people who took suvorexant, a common treatment for insomnia, for two nights at a sleep clinic experienced a slight drop in two proteins, amyloid-beta and tau, that pile up in Alzheimer's disease.