The evolution of Parkinson’s disease could be stopped due to a drug commonly used in type 2 diabetes, suggests a clinical study.
The drugs currently used against Parkinson’s help to relieve symptoms, but do not prevent brain cell death.
The study of 62 patients, published in the journal Lancet, indicates that the drug may have stopped the disease.
The team of scientists at University College London (UCL) said they were “delighted” with the results, but urged caution as the long-term benefits of the drug are still uncertain, requiring further testing.
“There is absolutely no doubt that a drug that slows the progression of the disease is the most unmet need for Parkinson’s disease; this is undeniable,” said Professor Tom Foltynie, one of the researchers who contributed to the source. study.
In Parkinson’s disease, the brain progressively deteriorates, and the cells that produce the hormone called dopamine are destroyed, causing a tremor, difficulty moving, and eventually memory problems.
The therapies currently used help relieve symptoms by increasing dopamine levels, but brain death continues, and the effects of the disease worsen, with no medication to stop the process.
In the clinical trial, half of the patients received a diabetes medicine called exenatide, and the others received a placebo. All subjects kept their usual medication.
People who received regular treatment experienced a decline during the 48 weeks of the study, but the condition of those receiving exenatide remained stable. In addition, three months after stopping the experimental treatment, the situation of subjects receiving exenatide was still positive.
“This is the first clinical trial in real Parkinson’s patients in which such an effect has been observed,” added Professor Foltynie.
“It gives us confidence that exenatide not only masks the symptoms, but has an effect on the underlying disease,” he said, noting that researchers are “excited and encouraged, but also cautious because we need to replicate these findings.”
The drug must continue to be studied for a longer period of time, in the context of which an effective remedy will have to keep the disease in place for several years for patients to notice significant differences.
The drug helps control blood sugar levels in diabetes by acting on the sensor of a hormone called GLP-1. These sensors are also found in brain cells, says the source.
Scientists suspect that this drug stimulates brain cells to function more efficiently or helps them survive. This is also the reason why the remedy is tested for other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Read also:
– .
