Summary
Nicotine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. No registered clinical trial in this database tests Nicotine specifically in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 12 publications for this pair: 3 Cochrane reviews, 1 meta-analysis, 1 systematic review, 2 randomised controlled trial publications and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2000 to 2018. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias ranks 705 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Progressive and irreversible by definition; MMSE decline 1.07-3.4 points/year untreated; no spontaneous remission.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 50.0 (trials 0.0, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 12 (5 clinical trial publications, 3 Cochrane reviews, 2 randomised controlled trial publications, 1 meta-analysis, 1 systematic review) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ABCA1 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
No registered trial links Nicotine to Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Cochrane review Features and outcomes of drugs for combination therapy as multi-targets strategy to combat Alzheimer's diseaseSahoo AK, Dandapat J, Dash UC et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology · 2018 · PMID 29248451
- Systematic review Smoking and increased Alzheimer's disease risk: a review of potential mechanismsDurazzo TC, Mattsson N, Weiner MW et al. · Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2014 · PMID 24924665
- Meta-analysis [Smoking and neurological disorders]Fujii H, Hosomi N, Matsumoto M · Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine · 2013 · PMID 23631229
- Clinical trial publication Radiofrequency fields, transthyretin, and Alzheimer's diseaseSöderqvist F, Hardell L, Carlberg M et al. · Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2010 · PMID 20164553
- Clinical trial publication PET imaging of the in vivo brain acetylcholinesterase activity and nicotine binding in galantamine-treated patients with ADKadir A, Darreh-Shori T, Almkvist O et al. · Neurobiology of aging · 2008 · PMID 17379359
- Clinical trial publication Changes in brain 11C-nicotine binding sites in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease following rivastigmine treatment as assessed by PETKadir A, Darreh-Shori T, Almkvist O et al. · Psychopharmacology · 2007 · PMID 17310387
- Clinical trial publication PET imaging of cortical 11C-nicotine binding correlates with the cognitive function of attention in Alzheimer's diseaseKadir A, Almkvist O, Wall A et al. · Psychopharmacology · 2006 · PMID 16832659
- Clinical trial publication Nicotine and sensory memory in Alzheimer's disease: an event-related potential studyEngeland C, Mahoney C, Mohr E et al. · Brain and cognition · 2002 · PMID 15259398
- Randomized controlled trial Effects of acute nicotine administration on cognitive event-related potentials in tacrine-treated and non-treated patients with Alzheimer's diseaseKnott V, Mohr E, Mahoney C et al. · Neuropsychobiology · 2002 · PMID 11979067
- Cochrane review Efficacy and safety of nicotine on Alzheimer's disease patientsLópez-Arrieta JM, Rodríguez JL, Sanz F · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2001 · PMID 11406005
- Randomized controlled trial Effects of transdermal nicotine on learning, memory, verbal fluency, concentration, and general health in a healthy sample at risk for dementiaHowe MN, Price IR · International psychogeriatrics · 2001 · PMID 12003253
- Cochrane review Nicotine for Alzheimer's diseaseLópez-Arrieta JM, Rodríguez JL, Sanz F · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2000 · PMID 10796667
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicotine approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
Nicotine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Nicotine in clinical trials for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Nicotine specifically in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Nicotine in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
Synthesis-level literature links Nicotine to Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, but no registered trial in this database tests the pair, so the evidence is observational, pooled from other indications, or pre-dates registry practice. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.