What did the research discover?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a growing neurological disorder with no cure, and current treatments focus on managing symptoms. Some researchers believe that newer glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) used to treat type 2 diabetes might help reduce the risk of PD because both diseases share similar biological pathways, like insulin resistance and inflammation. This study aimed to find out whether these drugs were linked to a lower risk of developing PD.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis (a study that combines data from multiple clinical trials) to analyze 24 randomized controlled trials that included 185,305 participants. The trials involved three classes of newer GLDs: dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Participants were randomly assigned to either take one of these drugs or a placebo (a substance with no active medication). Researchers followed participants for an average of 2.2 years and recorded how many developed PD.
The study found that people taking newer GLDs had a 50% lower chance of developing PD compared to those taking a placebo (odds ratio: 0.50). However, when the researchers looked at specific drug classes separately, only SGLT2 inhibitors showed a possible reduction in PD risk, while the other two drug types (GLP-1RAs and DPP-4 inhibitors) did not show clear evidence of an effect.
How can I apply this information?
This study suggests that newer glucose-lowering drugs may help lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease, especially SGLT2 inhibitors. However, because PD was not the main focus of the original trials, the results should be viewed with caution. More research is needed to confirm whether these drugs truly protect against PD or if other factors are involved.
If you have type 2 diabetes and are taking or considering newer GLDs, this research suggests a possible added benefit. However, these medications should not be taken specifically to prevent PD until further studies provide stronger evidence. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment.
Since this study is research, more studies using larger groups of people and longer follow-up times are needed to better understand how these medications might influence PD risk. Researchers are also exploring whether these drugs could be repurposed as a potential treatment for PD in the future.
Source:
Tang H, Lu Y, Okun MS, Donahoo WT, Ramirez‐Zamora A, Wang F, Huang Y, Chen WH, Virnig BA, Bian J, Guo J. Meta‐analysis of association between newer glucose‐lowering drugs and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice. 2023 Nov;10(11):1659-65. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37982117/
