Diabetes Medications Could Reduce Risk for Dementia

A drug commonly used to treat diabetes could help to reduce risk for dementia, according to a new study from German researchers.

Patients with type 2 diabetes have a greater risk for developing dementia than non-diabetic individuals, the researchers explained, and long-term treatment with pioglitazone could help to reduce risk of cognitive decline.

"Treatment with pioglitazone showed a remarkable side benefit," said study investigator Gabriele Doblhammer. "It was able to significantly decrease the risk of dementia. The longer the treatment, the lower the risk."

Pioglitazone is taken in tablet-form and is used for both short- and long-term diabetes treatment.

Insulin and nerve protection

Diabetic patients taking pioglitazone had about a 47 percent lower risk of dementia than non-diabetics, and the drug seemed to be most effective when taken for at least 24 months.

Pioglitazone appears to protect nerve cells against inflammation and damage-causing proteins in the brain, while it also helps to improve the body's own insulin response.

While not as effective as pioglitazone, metformin, another popular diabetes drug, was also linked to a reduced dementia risk.

"Our study suggests that pioglitazone has a preventive effect," said study co-author Michael Heneka. "This happens when the drug is taken before symptoms of dementia manifest. Thus, it protects in particular against Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia."

The researchers aren't sure whether the protective properties of pioglitazone would also help non-diabetic patients prevent cognitive impairment as they age.

The study is published in Annals of Neurology.

Source: Science Daily

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