Metformin does more than control blood sugar: New research reveals the diabetes drug's negative brain impacts
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that the diabetes drug metformin has a significant impact on the brain, specifically in the regulation of blood glucose levels. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, could lead to the development of new diabetes treatments that target the brain's role in glucose metabolism.
A team at Baylor College of Medicine has identified a brain-based pathway that plays a significant role in how metformin controls blood glucose. The pathway involves a protein called Rap1, found in the ventromedial hypothalamus region of the brain. Researchers found that metformin's ability to lower blood sugar depends on its suppression of Rap1 activity in this brain area. The study used genetically engineered mice to test the connection and found that metformin's brain effects occur at much lower doses than its effects on the liver or gut. The discovery could lead to new, more targeted diabetes treatments. The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists from several universities and was funded by the National Institutes of Health and other foundations.
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