Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment can be frightening and emotionally overwhelming. These conditions slowly damage memory, thinking, learning, and daily functioning.
Many people begin by forgetting small things, such as names, appointments, or where they placed objects. Over time, symptoms can become more serious, affecting independence and quality of life.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and affects millions of older adults worldwide. Scientists believe the disease develops because of harmful changes inside the brain, including the buildup of abnormal proteins, inflammation, poor blood flow, and problems with how brain cells use energy.
For many years, treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease have been limited. Most available medicines mainly help manage symptoms for a short time but do not fully stop the disease from progressing. Because of this, researchers around the world are searching for safer and more effective ways to protect the brain.
Now, a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that two already existing medicines may help improve brain health in people with early Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment.
The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
The researchers tested two medications: empagliflozin, commonly sold under the brand name Jardiance, and intranasal insulin, which delivers insulin directly into the brain through the nose.
Empagliflozin is already widely used to treat diabetes and certain heart conditions. Intranasal insulin has also been studied for brain-related conditions because insulin plays an important role in brain function, memory, and communication between brain cells.
Although both medicines have been used for other health problems, this was the first study to test them in people with Alzheimer’s disease who did not have diabetes.
The study involved 47 adults with an average age of 70. All participants had either mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Mild cognitive impairment is often considered an early stage where memory and thinking problems are noticeable but not yet severe enough to fully interfere with daily life.
During the four-week study, participants were randomly divided into different treatment groups. Some received empagliflozin, some received intranasal insulin, some received both treatments, and others received a placebo that contained no active medication.
The results were encouraging. Researchers found that both medicines were safe, well tolerated, and easy for participants to use. Most people followed their treatment plans carefully, and participants reported that the nasal insulin device was simple and comfortable to use.
Each treatment appeared to help the brain in different ways.
Participants who used intranasal insulin showed improvements on memory tests. Brain scans also revealed stronger white matter connections and improved blood flow in areas of the brain involved in memory and thinking.
White matter acts like communication cables inside the brain, helping different brain regions send signals to each other. Damage to white matter is often linked to memory loss and cognitive decline.
Researchers also found that intranasal insulin lowered levels of a blood marker called GFAP. High levels of GFAP are associated with brain cell injury and are commonly seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
Empagliflozin showed benefits in other important areas. The drug lowered levels of tau protein in spinal fluid. Tau protein forms harmful tangles inside the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. These tangles damage brain cells and interfere with normal brain function.
The medication also reduced other markers linked to brain damage and improved blood flow in the brain. In addition, empagliflozin increased levels of HDL cholesterol, often called “good” cholesterol. This suggests the drug improved metabolism and blood vessel health even in people without diabetes.
The researchers also noticed changes related to inflammation and the immune system. Both treatments appeared to help reduce harmful inflammation while supporting protective immune responses inside the brain.
Inflammation is believed to play a major role in Alzheimer’s disease. When inflammation remains active for long periods, it may worsen damage to brain cells and speed up memory decline.
Scientists believe these findings are important because many people with Alzheimer’s disease also develop problems with insulin resistance and reduced blood flow in the brain. These problems can make memory and thinking symptoms worse.
Empagliflozin and intranasal insulin appear to target some of these deeper underlying problems instead of only treating symptoms. By improving how brain cells use energy and increasing healthy blood flow, the treatments may help protect the brain from further damage.
Although this was a relatively small and short-term study, the findings provide early hope for future treatment options. The research team plans to carry out larger and longer studies to determine whether the benefits continue over time.
Because both medicines are already approved for other medical conditions and have been safely used by many patients, researchers believe they may potentially reach Alzheimer’s patients more quickly than completely new drugs.
The study offers a new direction in Alzheimer’s research by focusing on metabolism, circulation, and brain energy instead of targeting only memory symptoms alone. If future studies confirm these findings, these two familiar medicines could one day become important tools in helping people with Alzheimer’s disease live healthier and better lives.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies that bad lifestyle habits can cause Alzheimer’s disease, and strawberries can be good defence against Alzheimer’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms, and Vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
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