14 DAY TRIAL // A new investigation appears to indicate that the established drug Metformin, which has been used for years to treat people suffering from type II diabetes, may also be effective in combating symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The correlation puzzled scientists, as diabetes appears when sugar levels in the blood cannot be readily regulated by cells, while Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting memory and cognitive abilities.
Nevertheless, it would appear that the two go hand-in-hand, at least to some extend, say researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the University of Dundee and the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics.
In their latests investigation, which was conducted on unsuspecting lab mice, the experts determined that Metformin is capable to prevent alternation in Tau, a protein that controls the structure of cells.
Past studies have identified this molecule as playing a pivotal role in triggering the onset of Alzheimer’s. But this was not the main finding of the research.
While analyzing the effects this drug had on the mice, the investigators managed to shed more light on the molecular mechanisms and pathways that the chemical uses to exert its effects.
“If we can confirm that metformin shows also an effect in humans, it is certainly a good candidate for an effective therapy on Alzheimer’s diseases,” explains DZNE researcher Sybille Krauß.
She and her colleagues published a detailed account of the study in the November 22 issue of the esteemed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The work was prompted by the high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease – a common form of dementia alongside Parkinson's – in the German population. More than 700,000 individuals have been diagnosed with the condition, which most affects seniors.
It's main symptoms are general cognitive decline, memory loss, a reduction in the ability to conduct complex though processes and other similar manifestations.
The costs associated with handling the disease are already skyrocketing, and will continue to do so at an accelerated pace for the foreseeable future.
Official demographic growth projections forecast an aging in the general population of developed countries, which means that more people will be at risk for developing the disorder.
As such, finding methods to address it is quickly becoming a priority for numerous research groups around the world, and this is becoming apparent when looking at the level of funding these investigations now get, Science Blog reports.