Study finds diabetes medication may help alleviate Alzheimer's disease - Alzheimer's Society comments

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that those treated with diabetes drugs had considerably fewer abnormal microvasculature and disregulated gene expressions in their brains compared to people with Alzheimer's who hadn't had treatment for diabetes.

Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, says:

'In the UK alone, one person develops symptoms every three minutes. With no new drug for dementia in the past 15 years, repurposing existing drugs for other conditions as treatments for dementia is one of our most promising avenues for research. This study raises the exciting possibility that diabetes drugs could improve the supply of blood to the brain, helping to keep it healthy and prevent damage in people with Alzheimer’s.

'The next step is seeing if these diabetes drugs will improve symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s. We’re funding research to do just that, bringing us closer to finding a cure for dementia. But we need more funding and more people to join these vital studies*. '

*Alzheimer’s Society is funding a study at Imperial College London, which is looking at the diabetes drug liraglutide for people with Alzheimer’s disease. This study is currently open for volunteers, and you can get more information by emailing [email protected].