From research conducted at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)

A diabetes drug for Alzheimer's

The diabetes drug metformin may be suitable for treating Alzheimer’s disease – this is one of the conclusions that researchers under Dr. Sybille Krauß at the DZNE laboratory in Bonn have drawn from the findings of their experiments.

Photo Dr. Krauß — Dr. Sybille Krauß performing cell culture experiments in the lab. Photo/Graphic: DZNE.

In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, the tau protein changes its structure, forming deposits in the brain. This process is thought to contribute to the death of nerve cells. The researchers have shown that metformin counteracts the structural changes in tau. Hence, the drug could potentially prevent the formation of abnormal protein deposits and the death of brain cells. The team also shed light on the molecular mechanism by which metformin acts. If additional experiments on Alzheimer’s mice proceed positively, clinical studies could begin shortly.

Joachim Czichos

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