According to a study published in the journal American Academy of Neurology, certain diabetes drugs may help reduce Alzheimer's risk in people with or without diabetes. Researchers also found that people taking diabetic drugs showed a slower cognitive decline compared to those not taking the drugs.
The study involved 282 participants with an average age of 76 who were followed for up to six years. All had been diagnosed with either pre-clinical or early Alzheimer's disease. Of the group, 70 people had diabetes and were being treated with the drug named Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, 71 had diabetes but were not being treated with drugs and 141 did not have diabetes.
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As per the findings, patients who took the drug DDP-4 inhibitors, which are prescribed to those with type 2 diabetes, had less amyloid in the brain compared to those not taking the drugs and people without diabetes. People on DDP-4 inhibitors also showed smaller amounts of the plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. However, experts cautioned that the findings do not prove the drugs can prevent or delay Alzheimer's disease.