incretins and Dementia

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at risk for accelerated cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, their risk of stroke is increased and their outcome after stroke is worse than in those without diabetes. Incretin-based therapies are a class of antidiabetic agents that are of interest in relation to these cerebral complications of diabetes. Two classes of incretin-based therapies are currently available: the glucagon-like-peptide-1 agonists and the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 -inhibitors. Independent of their glucose-lowering effects, incretin-based therapies might also have direct or indirect beneficial effects on the brain. In the present review, we discuss the potential of incretin-based therapies in relation to dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease, and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. Experimental studies on Alzheimer's disease have found beneficial effects of incretin-based therapies on cognition, synaptic plasticity and metabolism of amyloid-β and microtubule-associated protein tau. Preclinical studies on incretin-based therapies in stroke have shown an improved functional outcome, a reduction of infarct volume as well as neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties. Both with regard to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and with regard to prevention and treatment of stroke, randomized controlled trials in patients with or without diabetes are underway. In conclusion, experimental studies show promising results of incretin-based therapies at improving the outcome of Alzheimer's disease and stroke through glucose-independent pleiotropic effects on the brain. If these findings would indeed be confirmed in large clinical randomized controlled trials, this would have substantial impact.

Topics: Animals; Clinical Trials as Topic; Dementia; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Incretins; Stroke

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a worldwide severe medical and social burden. Liraglutide (LIR) has neuroprotective effects in preclinical animal models.. To explore the probable neuroprotective impact of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) on rats' behavior and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms.. A total of 24 male albino rats were assigned to control, LIR (300 µg/kg subcutaneously (s.c.)), AD only (100 mg/kg aluminum chloride (AlCl. LIR prevents the impairment of learning and improves both working memory and reference memory through significant reduction of serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (INF-γ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and through the increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. LIR also improves hippocampal histological features of ALCL. LIR normalizes ALCL

Topics: Aluminum; Animals; Blood Glucose; Cytokines; Dementia; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Hippocampus; Incretins; Liraglutide; Male; Maze Learning; Neuroprotective Agents; Neurotransmitter Agents; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Wistar