Diabetes and dementia risks

Elderly residents who take metformin to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have an increased risk of developing some form of dementia, according to a study published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. This is in addition to the higher risk already carried by those who have T2DM.

The study tracked more than 9,000 recruits for 12 years. Participants who took metformin showed a 2.2 percent higher incidence of developing all-cause dementia than the control group. The highest risk (2.3 percent) was for vascular dementia, followed by the Alzheimer’s type at 2.1 percent.

Although further study is needed to explore the connection between metformin and dementia risk in those with type 2 diabetes, “The effects of exposure duration and dosage on dementia and PD occurrence were also observed,” the study authors write. “Long-term metformin exposure in patients with T2DM may lead to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia and Parkinson’s disease.”

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.