Researchers have discovered that semaglutide might reduce the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease among those with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
A team from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine has determined that semaglutide, a well-known medication for diabetes and weight loss, may help in lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease when assessed against seven other anti-diabetic therapies.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive illness that gradually impairs memory and cognitive abilities. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently afflicted with this condition, with Alzheimer’s-related deaths exceeding those from both breast and prostate cancer combined.
A study published today in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association indicates that T2D patients who are on semaglutide have a considerably decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This finding was consistent across various demographics, including differences in obesity, gender, and age.
Semaglutide is a molecule known as a glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R), which helps manage hunger and blood sugar levels in individuals with T2D. It is also the key ingredient in popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.
The research team, led by Professor Rong Xu in biomedical informatics, examined three years’ worth of electronic health data from nearly one million T2D patients in the U.S. They employed a statistical method that simulates a randomized clinical trial.
Results showed that individuals prescribed semaglutide had a notably reduced risk of Alzheimer’s compared to those who used one of seven other anti-diabetic drugs, including various GLP-1R-targeting treatments.
According to the CDC, approximately 120,000 Americans die from Alzheimer’s disease each year, making it the seventh-leading cause of death in the country.
“This new study provides real-world evidence regarding the effect of semaglutide on Alzheimer’s disease, although earlier research has suggested that the drug may offer protection against neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation,” said Xu, who is also the director of the medical school’s Center for AI in Drug Discovery and a member of the Cancer Genomics Epigenomics Program at the Case Cancer Comprehensive Center.
Despite their findings suggesting that semaglutide may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers acknowledge that the study’s limitations hinder them from drawing definitive causal relationships, Xu noted.
“Our results indicate that more research on semaglutide’s potential benefits is essential and should involve randomized clinical trials to explore alternative drugs that could serve as treatments for this challenging illness,” Xu stated.
