A UF study finds that two common diabetes drugs may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease in older adults with Type 2 diabetes.
A study led by researchers at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has found that two widely used glucose-lowering medications may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in people with Type 2 diabetes.
Published on April 7 in JAMA Neurology, the study analyzed Medicare claims data from older adults with Type 2 diabetes. Researchers examined the relationship between the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
The results showed a statistically significant association between lower risk of Alzheimer’s and the use of GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is compared to other glucose-lowering drugs. The findings suggest these medications may offer neuroprotective benefits and could potentially slow cognitive decline in individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s, even beyond those with diabetes.
Expanding Potential Uses of Diabetes Medications
Serena Jingchuan Guo, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and the study’s senior author, said these findings may point to new therapeutic uses for drugs commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“It’s exciting that these diabetes medications may offer additional benefits, such as protecting brain health,” Guo said. “Based on our research, there is promising potential for GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is to be considered for Alzheimer’s disease prevention in the future. As use of these drugs continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important to understand their real-world benefits and risks across populations.”
Guo conducted this research in collaboration with William Donahoo, M.D., clinical professor and chief of the UF Health Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Steven T DeKosky, M.D., deputy director of the McKnight Brain Institute and professor of Alzheimer’s research, neurology, and neuroscience in the UF Department of Neurology. As the study only included patients with Type 2 diabetes, Guo said the next steps include evaluating the effects of the two drugs in broader populations by using recent, real-world data that captures their growing use in clinical settings.
“Future research should focus on identifying heterogeneous treatment effects — specifically, determining which patients are most likely to benefit and who may be at greater risk for safety concerns,” Guo said.
Reference: “GLP-1RA and SGLT2i Medications for Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias” by Huilin Tang, William T. Donahoo, Steven T. DeKosky, Yao An Lee, Pareeta Kotecha, Mikael Svensson, Jiang Bian and Jingchuan Guo, 7 April 2025, JAMA Neurology.
DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.0353
The research is supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, both part of the National Institutes of Health.
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