By Stephen Beech via SWNS
A common diabetes and weight-loss drug may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.
American researchers have found that, when compared to seven other anti-diabetic drugs, semaglutide may lower the risk of the most prevalent form of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) molecule that decreases hunger and helps regulate blood sugar in T2D, is also the active component in the diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.
The new study suggests type 2 diabetes patients taking semaglutide had a “significantly lower” risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
The findings, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, were consistent across different subgroups, including weight, gender and age.
Researchers at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, analyzed three years of electronic records of nearly one million American patients with T2D.
The team used a statistical approach that mimics a randomized clinical trial.
They found patients prescribed semaglutide had a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who had taken any of seven other anti-diabetic medications, including other types of GLP-1R-targeting medications.
Study leader Professor Rong Xu said: “This new study provides real-world evidence for its impact on Alzheimer’s disease, even though preclinical research has suggested that semaglutide may protect against neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.”
Although the findings potentially support the idea that semaglutide could prevent Alzheimer’s disease, Prof Xu says the study’s limitations restrict the researchers from making firm causal conclusions.
She added: “Our results indicate that further research into semaglutide’s use will need to be further investigated through randomized clinical trials so alternative drugs can be tested as potential treatment for this debilitating illness.”
