Treating people with type 2 diabetes, also known as "age-related diabetes", with anti-diabetics reduces their risk for Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, said German researchers on Tuesday.
Researchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) draw this conclusion from an analysis of health insurance data.
Their findings are published in the journal "Annals of Neurology".
Type 2 diabetes most commonly occurs in late adulthood, and it has long been known that it can affect the patient's mental health, as patients have a greater risk of developing dementia than non-diabetics, said DZNE.
German researchers investigated how anti-diabetic medication influences this risk in the current study.
The analysis confirmed previous findings that diabetics have an increased risk of developing dementia.
However, it also found out that this risk can significantly be modified by pioglitazone, a drug prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
This drug is taken as tablets and is applied in short-term as well as in long-term treatment of diabetes as long as the body is still capable of producing its own insulin.
"Treatment with pioglitazone showed a remarkable side benefit. It was able to significantly decrease the risk of dementia," says Gabriele Doblhammer, the demographer of DZNE. "The longer the treatment, the lower the risk."
DZNE also noted that risk reduction was most noticeable when the drug was administered for at least two years, and diabetics given this treatment developed dementia less often than non-diabetics.
Xinhua News
Wed Jun 24 2015
This drug is taken as tablets and is applied in short-term as well as in long-term treatment of diabetes as long as the body is still capable of producing its own insulin.
Hari Ibu di Gaza: Kehilangan, pemindahan dan kelaparan
Dalam khemah yang serba daif, para ibu Palestin terpaksa menanggung tragedi yang tidak terungkap di kawasan Al-Mawasi yang bukan
Bekas bintang Everton, Tim Cahill kunjungi fasiliti, stadium JDT
Bekas bintang Australia, Tim Cahill, mengunjungi fasiliti kelab Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) di Stadium Sultan Ibrahim dan Pusat Latihan JDT di Padang Seri Gelam.
Tular kes seludup di Forest City, kastam sahkan video lama
Jabatan Kastam menafikan berlaku aktiviti penyeludupan minuman keras di kedai bebas cukai di Forest City seperti video tular di media sosial.
JAS Kedah siasat insiden sungai dicemari bahan berwarna merah
Pencemaran itu dipercayai berpunca daripada pelepasan sisa buangan dari longkang sebuah fasiliti yang disalurkan terus ke dalam sungai.
Sultan Terengganu berkenan rasmi Hospital Sultan Zainal Abidin
Sultan Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin berkenan merasmikan Hospital Sultan Zainal Abidin bersempena dengan sambutan Hari Keputeraan baginda.
PRK KKB: 'Ketakutan' terhadap Pas punca PN gagal raih undi bukan Melayu - Penganalisis
PN perlu akur untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan yang lebih harmoni, kemajmukan masyarakat di satu-satu lokaliti perlu diraih bagi memastikan kemenangan mutlak.
AWANI Ringkas: Asrama Sekolah Menengah Sains Hulu Terengganu terbakar
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Atlet perlu berjiwa besar raih kejayaan di Paris - Hannah
Komitmen Lee Zi Jia yang meletakkan sasaran pingat emas di temasya Sukan Olimpik Paris perlu ada dalam jiwa setiap atlet negara lain yang layak.
136 orang dilaporkan maut dalam kejadian banjir di Brazil
Angka kematian dilaporkan meningkat kepada 136 orang dalam kejadian banjir Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil pada Sabtu.
Kejadian itu menyebabkan Penduduk sebuah bandar kecil di negeri Rio Grande do Sul, bergelut dengan kerosakan yang teruk selepas hujan lebat memusnahkan rumah dan jalanan mereka.
Kejadian itu menyebabkan Penduduk sebuah bandar kecil di negeri Rio Grande do Sul, bergelut dengan kerosakan yang teruk selepas hujan lebat memusnahkan rumah dan jalanan mereka.
12 maut di Indonesia akibat banjir kilat, aliran lava sejuk
Seramai 12 orang maut dan mayat mereka sudah dibawa ke hospital, manakala empat yang lain masih dicari di daerah Agam.