These types of drug probably also target amyloid-beta around blood vessels, leading to potentially life-threatening side-effects such as bleeds in the brain. But these drugs have proved controversial, with patients requiring hour-long infusions every two to four weeks. It is hoped that semaglutide will reduce cortical tau levels, leading to reduced rates of cognitive decline.ĭrugs recently approved in the US to treat Alzheimer’s target amyloid-beta plaques. These are thought to disrupt cognition.Ī clinical trial is underway here at the University of Oxford that will specifically examine tau levels in people who have high levels of amyloid-beta but have not (yet) developed dementia. The brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients accumulate sticky plaques of amyloid-beta as well as clumps of tau proteins inside brain cells. But receptors for GLP-1 were not detected in the cortex, making it unlikely that semaglutide directly activates memory networks. Since it takes a long time to develop the disease, trials are expected to be completed in 2026.Īlzheimer’s disease is thought to originate in specific regions of the cerebral cortex – the region responsible for memories and spatial navigation. Nevertheless, two clinical trials which began in 2021 are testing whether daily oral doses of semaglutide will slow disease progress in people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Type 2 diabetes is more strongly associated with vascular dementia and not Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia), so only certain forms of dementia might be reduced by semaglutide. Given that semaglutide is able to cross the blood-brain barrier (the protective layer around the brain), it is likely to directly modify brain activity to make people feel less hungry.Ī Danish study that followed people with type 2 diabetes for five years found those on semaglutide or liraglutide (another diabetes drug) had a lower incidence of dementia. However, these receptors are also in “reward centres” of the brain, including in areas controlling eating. The hormone latches on to receptors in the pancreas that stimulate the release of insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels. Semaglutide mimics the action of a hormone, GLP-1, that is normally released from the gut after a meal. Wegovy and Ozempic, a drug to treat type 2 diabetes, both contain the same active substance called semaglutide. This is where Wegovy and its sister drug, Ozempic, come into the picture. One of the avenues being explored is the new weight-loss jab, Wegovy.Īlthough age is by far the greatest risk factor for dementia, obesity and type 2 diabetes are also major risk factors for developing the condition.

This mind-robbing disease has a huge impact on society and the economy, so scientists are working hard to find ways to treat or prevent it. Over 55 million people worldwide have dementia.

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