World News – UA – Study: Diabetes Drug Metformin May Protect Aging Brain

A common type 2 diabetes drug called metformin may have an unexpected, but positive side effect: New research suggests that people who take the drug appear to have much slower drops in thinking and of memory as they age

« Our six-year study of older Australians with type 2 diabetes found a link between metformin use and slower cognitive [mental] decline and lower rates of dementia, » said said study author Dr Katherine Samaras She leads the Healthy Aging Research Theme at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in New South Wales, Australia

« The results offer new hope for a way to reduce the risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes, and potentially those without diabetes, » Samaras said

Metformin helps the body use the hormone insulin more efficiently It is known as an insulin sensitizer Insulin helps introduce sugar into the body’s cells for use as fuel People with diabetes type 2 do not use insulin effectively This is called insulin resistance

“Metformin is an insulin-sensitizing drug however, it has a number of other effects in cells that allow them to remain metabolically healthy,” Samaras explained

Samaras noted that experts believe type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance may play a role in the degeneration of brain and nerve tissue, as well as lead to harmful changes in blood vessels by increasing blood pressure. how well insulin works in the body, metformin may help prevent some of this damage

The study followed more than 1,000 people, aged 70 to 90, for six years At the start of the study, all of the volunteers were living at home and had no signs of dementia They underwent a series of neuropsychological tests every two years

People with diabetes who did not take metformin had a five times higher risk of developing dementia during the study, the researchers found

The researchers noted that this was not the first study to show that metformin may be linked to a lower risk of dementia.Other studies have found a similar association The authors sought to see if the drug did a difference in impaired memory and thinking in a group of older people

Samaras and colleagues are planning a three-year randomized controlled clinical trial of metformin in people who do not have diabetes but are at high risk of developing dementia

« Our study provided promising initial evidence that metformin may protect against cognitive decline [The new] trial will reveal whether metformin can help prevent cognitive decline in older people more broadly, » he said. she declared

Metformin is an inexpensive drug and has few side effects, Samaras noted Side effects, such as digestive problems, usually occur within the first few weeks of taking the drug and then go away

Heather Snyder, vice president of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association, said that while this is not the first study to show the potential benefits of metformin for the brain, it is « d  » a large population and a different population followed over a period of several years , specifically for this question It is always encouraging to see similar results in different populations « 

Snyder says it’s unclear exactly how metformin helps slow memory and thinking problems.But there are a number of trials to see if metformin might be an effective treatment for slowing down onset of dementia There is a large national study in the United States, and British researchers will examine how metformin combined with healthy lifestyle changes may impact the risk of dementia

In the meantime, if you want to take steps to potentially lower your risk of dementia, Snyder recommended discussing with your doctor what you can do, such as exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and keeping yourself healthy. socially engage – as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic

Diabetes, metformin, type 2 diabetes, diabetes drugs, cognition, dementia