Alzheimer’s may Benefit from Diabetes Drug

Medical News Today announces news that people with Alzheimer’s may benefit from a Diabetes Drug in new research:

“Metformin, a drug used in type 2-diabetes might have the potential to also act against Alzheimer’s disease. This has been shown in a study from scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the University of Dundee and the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics. The researchers have found out that the diabetes drug metformin counteracts alterations of the cell structure protein Tau in mice nerve cells.

These alterations are a main cause of the Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, they uncovered the molecular mechanism of metformin in this process. “If we can confirm that metformin shows also an effect in humans, it is certainly a good candidate for an effective therapy on Alzheimer’s diseases,” says Sybille Krauß from DZNE. Their results have been published in the scientific journal PNAS.

In further experiments, the researchers now intend to investigate, whether metformin prevents the deposition of tau proteins also in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and improves cognitive performance of the animals. The effect in humans will then be tested in clinical studies. There is no risk of unexpected side effects, due to the fact that the drug is already used against diabetes.”

With an ever increasing number of baby boomers, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is due to skyrocket in the coming years ahead. Thankfully, Research is being stepped up to find a cure or at least–more helpful medications for Alzheimer’s in the future.

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