doi.org/10.1002/alz.70704
Credibility: 989
#Brain
A clinical trial in the United States tested two medications-one used for diabetes and an insulin nasal spray-and found they can help treat mild memory and thinking problems common in early Alzheimer’s disease without causing serious side effects
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are very complex conditions, and scientists believe combining different treatments will be necessary to better manage them.
The two drugs tested in this study act on different biological processes:
– Empagliflozin: A drug already used for diabetes, it reduces inflammation in the body, which is linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s, among other benefits.
– Insulin nasal spray: Delivers insulin directly to the brain, helping to maintain healthy brain cells.
How was the study?
The study involved 47 adults between the ages of 55 and 85, of whom 42 completed treatment.
They had mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia, or showed molecular markers linked to Alzheimer’s, even without clear symptoms.
For four weeks, participants received:
– Empagliflozin alone;
– Insulin nasal spray alone;
– Both medications combined;
– Or a placebo (a substance with no effect).
The study was small, so it wasn’t possible to confirm significant differences between the groups, but it showed some promising trends.
The main goal was to test the drugs’ safety.
Encouraging Results
Neuroscientist Suzanne Craft of Wake Forest University School of Medicine led the study and highlighted the main findings:
– Empagliflozin: Reduced levels of a protein called tau in the spinal fluid, which forms harmful clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
It also improved brain blood flow, cholesterol levels, and other markers linked to disease progression.
– Insulin nasal spray: Improved scores on memory and reasoning tests.
Brain imaging studies showed benefits in white matter connectivity (which helps with communication between brain regions) and memory-related blood flow.
Why does this matter?
The study focused on metabolism, or how the body transforms energy.
This is crucial for overall health and may offer a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s, rather than focusing solely on the more advanced symptoms of the disease.
Empagliflozin, a diabetes medication, helps the body better manage glucose and sodium, reducing inflammation, stress on cells, and improving insulin sensitivity.
The insulin spray was chosen because insulin resistance (when the body doesn’t respond well to insulin) is linked to Alzheimer’s, and previous studies have shown that insulin can improve brain cell health, white matter structure, and blood flow.
A First Step
This was a small, rapid study designed to confirm the safety of the drugs and build on previous research.
While the results are encouraging, larger and longer trials are still needed to confirm whether these medications can truly help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s.
Scientists have observed that these treatments balance the immune system’s response, helping it fight the disease without causing excessive inflammation that could damage the brain.
The Future
“Our study suggests that targeting metabolism could change the course of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Craft.
“These findings show that metabolism is a powerful new frontier in treating Alzheimer’s.”
The team plans to conduct larger studies in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s or early signs of the disease.
They believe these medications, alone or combined with other treatments, could offer real benefits.
Summary
Two medications-one for diabetes and an insulin nasal spray-showed promising results in a small study, helping improve brain health in people with early signs of Alzheimer’s.
They reduced markers of brain damage, improved blood flow, and improved memory without causing serious side effects.
More research is needed, but these treatments could open a new path to fighting Alzheimer’s.
Published in 10/26/2025 20h31
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.
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