Cheap diabetes drugs may help to slow down alzheimer’s

CHEAP diabetes drugs already taken by millions of people may slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, helping patients to live without severe symptoms for longer, a new study suggests.

Researchers in the US examined the brains of 63 people with dementia, around half of whom were also diabetic and were taking drugs like metformin or insulin.

Tests on blood vessels and brain tissue found that half of the biological markers used to diagnose Alzheimer’s were reduced in the diabetics.

The researchers believe the drugs have a protective effect on the vascular system of the brain and have called for trials to test whether they could slow down the disease.

Diabetes drugs cost just a few pence per pill and have already passed safety trials, so studies could be quick.

The new research also suggests that other drugs which target the brain’s capillary system could be beneficial.