"Diabetes Medication 'Pioglitazone' Use Lowers Dementia Risk in Diabetes Patients"

Effectiveness in Diabetic Patients with Circulatory Disorders

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has found that diabetic patients taking the diabetes medication 'pioglitazone' have a reduced risk of dementia.

A joint research team including Professors Kim Eo-su from the Department of Psychiatry at Yonsei University Severance Hospital, Kim Kwang-jun from Geriatrics, Nam Jung-mo from Preventive Medicine, Ha Jung-hee from Psychiatric Science, and Dr. Choi Dong-woo from the Cancer Big Data Center at the National Cancer Center announced on the 16th that pioglitazone can suppress the onset of dementia in diabetic patients.

The research team tracked 91,218 individuals newly diagnosed with diabetes for about 10 years based on National Health Insurance data. As a result, the group taking pioglitazone showed a 16% lower risk of developing dementia compared to the non-user group.

In particular, the effect was more pronounced in diabetic patients with circulatory disorders in the brain and heart. Diabetic patients with a history of stroke who took pioglitazone had a 43% reduced risk of dementia, and those with ischemic heart disease due to coronary blood flow obstruction saw a 54% reduction.

The research team attributed these results to the functions of pioglitazone. Pioglitazone not only lowers blood sugar to alleviate diabetes but also improves vascular function.

Professor Kim Kwang-jun said, "It is expected that a customized treatment strategy can be established when selecting medication for diabetic patients with vascular disorders." Professor Kim Eo-su added, "In addition to clarifying the association between drug use and dementia incidence in this study, further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism by which the drug suppresses dementia," and "We will continue follow-up studies to develop effective dementia prevention drugs."

This research was published in the latest online issue of 'Neurology' (IF 12.258), the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.