A recent study conducted in South Korea has shown that the use of certain type 2 diabetes drugs, known as SGLT2 inhibitors, is associated with a lower risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The study involved analyzing data on a cohort of 358,862 participants with type 2 diabetes, all of whom were over 40 years old. Participants who had started taking SGLT2 inhibitors between 2014-2019 were matched with those on other oral antidiabetes medications. The analysis revealed a significant reduction in the risk of developing all-cause dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia among those taking SGLT2 inhibitors.
The lead researcher of the study, Minyoung Lee, MD, PhD, explained that the common pathophysiological links between type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases have led to a growing interest in exploring whether diabetes medications could offer benefits for these conditions. The unique pharmacological action of SGLT2 inhibitors, which not only lower blood sugar but also increase urinary glucose excretion and elevate ketone bodies in the body, was hypothesized to be particularly beneficial in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. These drugs have been shown to reduce risk factors associated with dementia and Parkinson’s disease, such as hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, and heart failure.
Steve Allder, MD, a consultant neurologist at Re:Cognition Health, suggested that the neuroprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors are likely multifaceted and involve cardiovascular, metabolic, and cellular effects. By reducing cardiovascular risk factors associated with dementia and Parkinson’s disease, these drugs are thought to help prevent cerebrovascular damage and neurodegeneration. The study findings also showed that younger populations experienced a larger benefit from taking SGLT2 inhibitors, highlighting the potential benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes who are at increased risk of developing neurological diseases.
While the results of this study suggest that there are potential benefits of using SGLT2 inhibitors in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative conditions, the researchers caution that the study is observational and further research is needed to determine the long-term effects. Minyoung Lee explained that the effect of these drugs on neurodegenerative diseases may be more about delaying the onset of dementia and attenuating the degenerative process rather than preventing dementia entirely. Future research will focus on elucidating the mechanisms behind the observed reduction in risk using mouse models of dementia associated with metabolic disorders.
In conclusion, the findings of this study shed light on the potential role of SGLT2 inhibitors in lowering the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study highlights the importance of further research to confirm and expand upon these findings and to better understand the underlying mechanisms. Ultimately, this research could have implications for the development of new treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases, offering hope to individuals at risk of these debilitating conditions.
