Can drugs like Ozempic slow down the development of cognitive diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s? According to research and ongoing clinical trials, the answer could be yes. As of now, Ozempic and Mounjaro are only approved to treat type 2 diabetes; however, many also use it off-label to help with weight loss. (Alternatively, Wegovy and Zepbound are approved for weight-loss treatment.) That aside, scientists now say that drugs like Ozempic could be used to treat diabetes and reduce dementia risk simultaneously.
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Type 2 diabetes is known to increase the risk of dementia.
Research suggests that people with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing dementia due to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. According to Harvard Health, "low blood sugars are known to damage the hippocampus—the memory center of the brain."
Additionally, diabetes is a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure, both of which can lead to stroke. Per the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke doubles the risk for dementia, and 30 percent of patients will experience cognitive dysfunction within three years post-episode.
That is why GLP-1 medications could reduce cognitive decline.
In recent months, more evidence has come out supporting claims that drugs like Ozempic—which lower blood sugar in people with diabetes—could significantly decrease dementia risk.
Catriona Reddin, a PhD student studying geriatric medicine at the University of Galway in Ireland, is further fueling this theory with a study of her own that was just published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Neurology.
Reddin said, "There is a lack of robust evidence to support the efficacy of glucose-lowering therapies in reducing the risk of dementia." This prompted her and her team to conduct a meta-analysis of 26 clinical trials consisting of 164,531 participants (average age of 64 years). The analysis was exclusive to type 2 diabetes patients who had never received a formal dementia or cognitive dysfunction diagnosis.
In these randomized trials, participants were prescribed GLP-1 medications to treat their type 2 diabetes. However, researchers also evaluated how these drugs protected against developing dementia and cognitive impairment symptoms. (It’s important to note that the study doesn’t explicitly state which kinds of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, were administered.) They were also monitored against a control group.
Results were drawn from assessments collected during the trials' six-month follow-up periods. According to their findings, patients taking GLP-1 drugs saw a 45 percent decreased risk of developing dementia and/or cognitive dysfunction. However, those taking glucose-lowering drugs like SGLT2is (the control group) didn’t see a risk reduction.
"In this meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, glucose-lowering therapy with GLP1-RAs, but not SGLT2is or pioglitazone, was associated with a statistically significant reduction in dementia or cognitive impairment," wrote the authors.
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While it's another breakthrough discovery for brain health, Reddin noted that the study has "substantial limitations."
"Further research evaluating the efficacy of glucose-lowering therapies to reduce risk of dementia outcomes in suitably designed trials (ie, with long duration of follow-up and population, including adults in middle-late life) is required," she said.
