In a nutshell
This study looked at the risk of dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) taking metformin (Glucophage) and those not taking this drug. They found that patients taking metformin were at a lower risk to develop dementia.
Some background
Dementia is the loss of mental capacities such as memory, reasoning, language, problem-solving, or other thinking abilities. Studies show that 60% of patients with T2D dementia. This has a huge impact on their quality of life. Studies showed that diabetes medication such as metformin may help reduce the risk of dementia. However, the impact of metformin on the risk of developing dementia needs further investigation.
Methods & findings
1,037 adults aged 70-90 without dementia were involved in this study. They were assessed at the start to check if they had diabetes and what medications they were taking. The participants were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 included people without diabetes (no-D). Group 2 included those with diabetes taking metformin (D+MF) and group 3 had patients with diabetes not taking metformin (D-no MF). They were then followed up every 2 years for 6 years to look for signs of dementia.
91 participants developed dementia over the 6 year period. Of these, 73 (8.2%) were in the no-D group (8.2% of this group), 8 (14.5%) in the D-no MF group, and 4 participants (6%) in the D+MF group. Participants in the group taking metformin were 81% less likely to develop dementia than those with diabetes not taking metformin. Also, patients with diabetes not taking metformin were 3.03 times more likely to develop dementia compared to participants without diabetes.
The bottom line
This study showed that people with T2D taking metformin were less likely to develop dementia than those not taking this drug.
The fine print
This study was based on medical records, more studies are needed.
What’s next?
Speak to your doctor about the potential benefits of metformin in reducing your risk of dementia.
Published By :
Diabetes Care
Date :
Sep 23, 2020
