the Type 2 diabetes has an impact on brain function, and is associated with an increased risk of dementia. In a study published in 2022 in the journal Neurology, one researcher said:Type 2 diabetes is a global epidemic affecting one in 10 adults, and diabetes is known to increase the risk of developing dementia“. Recently, other researchers published a study in the journal British Medical Journal Open Diabetes Research & Care, aboutan anti-diabetic drug that would have a positive impact on the fact of developing dementia.
The scientists started from a database (of more than 500,000 people) called Veteran Affairs, over a period of 16 years in the United States, between 2001 and 2017. The subjects had type 2 diabetes and had average 60 years. Among them, the rate of dementia was 8.2 out of 1000. All were not treated with the same molecules, the three used were: thiazolidinedione, sulfonylurea, metformin. The interest of this diversity of treatments? To be able to compare their side effects on the development of dementia.
22% reduction in risk with one of the treatments
Depending on the drug, and depending on the combinations of treatments, they realized that the effect was not the same. For example, the sulfonylurea alone was less effective than if combined with metformin. Sulfonylurea monotherapy increased the risk of dementia by 12%. But good news: after one year, researchers estimated that thiazolidinedione monotherapy could reduce the risk of dementia by 22%.all causes combined (vascular dementia due to stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease).
Source: Neurology, BMJ.
