In general, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical dose having R-flurbiprofen as the active ingredient that upon oral administration of a single dose to a fasting subject provides a C.sub.max of about 30-95 .mu.g per mL. When the dose is administered to an individual having mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (or desiring protection against Alzheimer's disease) twice daily for at least 4 months according to the described guidelines, an improvement or lessening in decline of cognitive function as characterized by cognition tests is observed in the patient. The composition of the invention is formulated with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, salts or carriers.