A recent study conducted in the UK suggests that liraglutide, a medication typically used to manage type 2 diabetes, may have the potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, indicate that the drug could reduce brain shrinkage and enhance memory function in affected individuals.
The study involved 204 participants diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s. Over a period of 12 months, half of the participants received daily injections of liraglutide, while the other half were administered a placebo. Although the trial did not achieve its primary objective of assessing improvements in brain glucose metabolism, the results demonstrated a significant reduction in brain shrinkage by approximately 50% in areas associated with memory and decision-making compared to the placebo group.
Overall cognitive decline, which includes memory and spatial awareness, was observed to slow by 18% among those receiving liraglutide. The participants generally tolerated the drug well, with mild stomach issues and modest weight loss being the most frequently reported side effects.
Potential Implications for Alzheimer’s Treatment
According to Prof Paul Edison from Imperial College London, who led the research, these findings represent some of the strongest evidence to date that GLP-1 treatments, such as liraglutide, could modify the disease process in Alzheimer’s patients. The drug works by stimulating fullness hormones in the gut, which helps control appetite and could potentially offer protective effects for the brain.
This research arrives shortly after a study involving semaglutide, another GLP-1 drug used in the popular weight-loss injection Wegovy, found that it did not significantly slow the progression of Alzheimer’s among its users. A large-scale study conducted by Novo Nordisk evaluated the effects of semaglutide in over 3,800 individuals and concluded that the medication did not demonstrate the expected benefits for Alzheimer’s patients, despite initial optimism based on earlier studies.
Currently, it is estimated that approximately 982,000 individuals in the UK are living with dementia, which encompasses a range of conditions that result in ongoing declines in brain function. This number is projected to escalate to 1.4 million by 2040, primarily due to an aging population, as age remains the most significant risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s.
Next Steps and Future Research
Despite the promising results, the authors of the study caution that the trial was small and of short duration, emphasizing the need for larger and longer-term studies to validate these findings before liraglutide can be considered for widespread use in treating Alzheimer’s on the National Health Service (NHS). Prof Edison noted that since liraglutide is already approved for diabetes, advancing its use for Alzheimer’s could be faster than developing a new therapy from scratch.
The growing body of evidence suggesting that GLP-1 drugs can offer protective benefits for brain health has garnered interest among experts. Early studies have indicated that individuals with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide might experience a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s by as much as 40% to 70% compared to those on other diabetic medications. Another observational study published in JAMA Neurology reported a 33% lower risk among similar populations.
With the ongoing research into the effects of GLP-1 medications, the medical community remains hopeful that these treatments could play a vital role in combating cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease, potentially altering the trajectory of this debilitating condition.
