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Scientists have uncovered an exciting connection between a common diabetes medication and brain health. A new study involving elderly rhesus monkeys suggests that metformin, widely used to regulate blood sugar, might also slow cognitive decline. 

Collaboration between researchers in the US and China found that monkeys treated with metformin for a little more than three years showed better brain function compared to their untreated peers. These findings could have profound implications for aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.

This experiment also showed that the subjects’ liver aging was decreased, liver function increased and there was a delay in brain aging, the primary focus of this study. These researchers observed improvement in both learning and memory tasks among the treated monkeys. The drug appears to enhance connections between neurons, allowing for higher brain plasticity.

Aging of lab-grown human neurons was also slowed when treated with low doses of metformin. Researchers believe this medicine’s effect on the brain may stem from its ability to activate a pathway that is known to reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel health. Though the study was conducted primarily on monkeys, its implications for humans are currently being explored with a small clinical trial already underway in China, and fundraising to support the development of a large clinical trial in the US!

What makes this discovery particularly interesting is this drug’s long history of safe use for humans. This medication has been on the market for decades now, making it a relatively easily accessible option for millions.

While these results are preliminary, they point to metformin’s potential as a double-duty medication: managing diabetes and promoting brain health. If successful, this could be a game changer for how doctors approach both autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.

This research also highlights how so many systems in our body are connected! What’s good for one thing may impact something else, in this case blood sugar, the liver and the brain.

While more studies are needed as this study was conducted only on male monkeys, it appears this drug’s impact goes far beyond its original purpose.