The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of degenerative brain diseases, comprising abemaciclib as an
active ingredient and, in particular, to: a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of degenerative brain diseases, comprising abemaciclib or a salt thereof as an
active ingredient; and a health
functional food for the prevention or amelioration of degenerative brain diseases. Abemaciclib according to the present invention has excellent activity of inhibiting an inflammatory
cytokine, i.e., COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, or iNOS in brain neurons, has excellent activity of inhibiting TLR4 signaling related to inflammatory responses and inhibiting the level of p-STAT3, can inhibit the activity of
microglia or astrocytes by LPS, also has the activities of inhibiting
amyloid plaques, increasing the number of dendrites, and inhibiting the
phosphorylation of
tau protein, and can improve the long-
term memory of mice with induced degenerative brain diseases. Therefore, abemaciclib of the present invention is effective in use as an
active ingredient of medicines and health functional foods for preventing, ameliorating, or treating degenerative brain diseases or neuroinflammatory diseases.