Dementia affects millions worldwide. According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, over 55 million people had dementia in 2020, and this number is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030. Dementia is a group of brain disorders that includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Right now, there is no cure for dementia, but new research suggests that a diabetes drug called semaglutide—found in medications like Ozempic and Wegovy—may help lower the risk of some types of dementia, especially for people with type 2 diabetes.
What Causes Dementia and How Can It Be Prevented?
Experts say dementia has many risk factors. Some cannot be changed, like age and genetics. But many lifestyle choices can affect dementia risk, such as:
- Eating a healthy diet, like the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay)
- Staying physically active
- Socializing regularly
- Managing diabetes and heart health
Dr. Rong Xu, a biomedical informatics professor at Case Western Reserve University, explains that about 50% of dementia cases could be prevented by managing these risk factors. But because each factor only slightly increases risk, a successful prevention plan needs to target several risk factors at once.
What Is Semaglutide and How Might It Help?
Semaglutide is a medicine originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss. It works by controlling blood sugar and reducing inflammation in the body, which is important because inflammation plays a big role in dementia.
In a recent study, researchers looked at health records from over 1.7 million Americans with type 2 diabetes. They followed patients for three years to see who developed dementia. The study compared people taking semaglutide to those using other diabetes drugs like insulin, metformin, and older versions of GLP-1 medications.
The results showed that people on semaglutide had a lower risk of developing vascular dementia, a type caused by problems in the blood vessels of the brain. However, semaglutide did not show a clear effect on other types of dementia like Lewy body or frontotemporal dementia.
Why Semaglutide May Protect Against Dementia
- Semaglutide targets multiple dementia risk factors at once: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, smoking, and alcohol use.
- It reduces inflammation, which can damage brain cells and lead to dementia.
- It improves insulin sensitivity and helps control blood sugar, reducing damage to blood vessels in the brain.
- Weight loss from semaglutide can improve cardiovascular health, which is linked to better brain health.
Dr. Manisha Parulekar, a geriatrician, explains that these combined effects could help protect brain cells and improve cognitive function.
What Does This Mean for People with Diabetes?
This study gives hope to those living with type 2 diabetes, who are at a higher risk for dementia. Knowing that certain medications might reduce this risk can help doctors and patients make better treatment choices.
Dr. Xu notes that while this is an associational study (it shows a link but not direct cause and effect), it is a promising start. More research, including clinical trials, is needed to confirm semaglutide’s benefits for brain health.
Future studies will also look at other new diabetes drugs like tirzepatide (in medications such as Zepbound and Mounjaro) to see if they offer similar protection.
What Else Can You Do to Lower Dementia Risk?
Besides medication, experts recommend lifestyle changes that support brain health:
- Follow a healthy, balanced diet like the MIND diet.
- Stay physically active every day.
- Keep socially connected with friends and family.
- Manage chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease carefully.
While we wait for more research, this study highlights a new way to think about dementia prevention—using medicines like semaglutide to target multiple risk factors at once. For people with type 2 diabetes, this could mean better brain health in the future.
