Diabetes drugs show promise in Alzheimer’s disease

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drug used to treat type 2 diabetes could help against alzheimer's, study finds. In image, MRI scan of a human brain — Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists – used to treat diabetes - might in future have a place in the management of Alzheimer's disease

Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), possibly mediated by impaired insulin signalling. This hypothesis is bolstered by new research showing that administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists — which facilitate insulin signalling — has a neuroprotective effect in a mouse model of AD.

Paula McClean, from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and Christian HÃ¶lscher, from Lancaster University, administered either liraglutide or lixisenatide to transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Both treatments led to significant improvements in how mice performed in an object recognition task. The drugs also improved long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission in the hippocampus, prevented a reduction in synapse numbers and reduced amyloid plaque load.

Liraglutide and lixisenatide “show promise as potential drug treatments of AD”, conclude the researchers in Neuropharmacology (online, November 2014)^[1].