New Study Suggests Diabetes Drug May Help Reverse Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

A new study carried out at Lancaster University in England indicates that a drug used to treat diabetes significantly reverses memory loss and brain degeneration in mice.  This research utilized mice who had been bred to express genes indicated in Alzheimer’s disease in humans effectively creating a rodent version of the disease.

The diabetes drug, called a triple receptor, combines three molecules known as growth factors.  The drug was used to treat mice who had been allowed to age which gave the disease time to develop fully and damage the animal’s brain. After administering the drug, the mice underwent a maze test which measured memory.

Results showed that the drug was associated with improved learning and memory skills in the mice. There were also physiological change including a reduced amounts of plaque buildup in the brain, which is a primary characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.  The mice who were given the drug also were found to have reduced levels of chronic inflammation in their brains, slower rates of brain nerve cell loss, and increased brain nerve cell protection. Additionally, the diabetes drug appeared to prevent and even reversed the brain growth impairment that leads to nerve cells losing function ultimately results in some of the classic symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. 

The growth factors in this drug specifically affected growth in the animals' brains.  This is important as the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are shown to display growth impairment. This impairment has been associated with the cognitive decline that occurs in those with the condition.

It is hoped that the same results will be found when human testing occurs leading to an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-related illnesses.  According to the lead study researcher Christian Holscher of Lancaster University, the results of this study suggest that the drug in question, "has a clear promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease."  These findings and the associated indications for the development of future treatment options is particularly exciting, as it has been 15 years since a new Alzheimer’s drug has become available. 

Reference

Tai, J., Liu, W., Li, Y., Li, L., & Hölscher, C. (2018). Neuroprotective effects of a triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonist in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain research, 1678, 64-74.