United States: A small study suggests that diabetes medications like Ozempic could help protect the brain and slow down the decline in thinking and memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
The trial, which is completely involved in 204 people in the UK, found that those taking liraglutide—a similar drug to Ozempic—experienced 18% slower cognitive decline over a year compared to those who received a placebo.
However, more research with larger groups is needed before these medications can be officially approved for treating Alzheimer’s.
Trial Outcome
As reported by CNN the trial’s main goal, though the changing the rate at which the brain metabolizes glucose was not met which the researchers could have nee ma result of its small size and the findings were shared Tuesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in the Philadelphia and haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Expert Opinions
“We’ve known for some time through animal work that GLP-1 has a different type of activity in the brain,” said Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer and medical affairs lead for the Alzheimer’s Association, which was not involved with the research. “This study really demonstrates for us the possibilities that are there.”
In addition to the benefit for cognition, the study found that the drug was associated with 50% less volume loss in several areas of the brain, which is according to a news release from the Alzheimer’s Association. Those findings add to hope that larger trials being run by Ozempic’s maker, Novo Nordisk, will be successful, Carrillo told CNN.
Broader Implications
GLP-1 drugs have exploded in the use in the recent years for the diabetes and the weight loss and they have shown the benefits for a wide range of the other health conditions such as protecting the heart and the kidneys and reducing the sleep apnea and ultimately helping with the addiction.
Studies in the animals have shown that in the brain the medicines can reduce neuroinflammation tamp down on the toxic proteins known as amyloid and tau improve insulin resistance and the total increase in the synaptic function or the transmission of the impulses between cells said Dr. Paul Edison professor of the neuroscience a the imperial College London who basically led the trail.
