Diabetes medications can help protect the brain from cognitive decline

Diabetes medications can help protect the brain from cognitive decline

A study led by researchers at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has found that a pair of popular glucose-lowering drugs may have protective effects against the development of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in patients with type 2 diabetes.

In research published inJAMA -NeurologyOn April 7, UF researchers examined Medicare claims from older adults with type 2 diabetes to assess the association between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1RAs, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, or SGLT2Is, and the risk of Alzheimer's disease, as well as related dentists.

The research is supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, both part of the National Institutes of Health.

The data showed a statistically significant association between a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and the use of GLP-1RA and SGLT2Is compared to other glucose-lowering drugs. According to the researchers, the results showed that the two drugs may have neuroprotective effects for people without diabetes and may slow the rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients.

Serena Jingchuan Guo, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and the study's senior author, said these findings may suggest new therapeutic uses for drugs commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

It's exciting that these diabetes medications may provide additional benefits, such as: B. protecting brain health. Based on our research, there is promising potential for GLP-1RAS and SGLT2Is to be considered for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease in the future. As the use of these drugs continues to expand, it will become increasingly important to understand their real-world benefits and risks across populations. “

Serena Jingchuan Guo, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and senior author of the study

Guo conducted this research in collaboration with William Donahoo, MD, clinical professor and chief of the UF Health Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Steven T Dekosky, MD, associate director of the McKnight Brain Institute and professor of Alzheimer's disease research, neurology and neuroscience in the UF Health Division. Because the study included only patients with type 2 diabetes, Guo said next steps included evaluating the effects of the two drugs in broader populations using recent real-world data capturing their growing use in clinical settings.

“Future research should focus on identifying heterogeneous treatment effects – specifically determining which patients are most likely to benefit and who may be at higher risk for safety concerns,” Guo said.

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