article_snippet: They looked at 3.7million people aged 40 and over but excluded anyone already diagnosed with gout or dementia.
article_snippet: And in their comparison group over a five-year follow-up period, their found 1,942 cases of Alzheimer's among 238,805 patients.
article_snippet: If confirmed by future studies, a therapeutic investigation that has been employed to prevent progression of Alzheimer's disease may be warranted for this relatively common and devastating condition.'
highlights_snippet: Researchers say this is due to the condition having a protective effect on the brain .
  