Scientists Discover Metformin Works Directly In The Brain, Offering New Diabetes Treatment Insights

For folks who are dealing with type 2 diabetes, Metformin should be a familiar first-line medication that any doctor would prescribe. However, a study may have just stumbled on something that would lead to new types of treatment involving the human brain.

Thanks to a study from the Baylor College of Medicine in the US, researchers were able to identify a brain pathway that the drug works through. Moreover, it appears to show biological processes that affect other areas of the human body according to Science Alert.

'It's been widely accepted that metformin lowers blood glucose primarily by reducing glucose output in the liver. Other studies have found that it acts through the gut,' Makoto Fukuda, a pathophysiologist at Baylor, stated. 'We looked into the brain as it is widely recognised as a key regulator of whole-body glucose metabolism. We investigated whether and how the brain contributes to the anti-diabetic effects of metformin.'

Hence, this means that by switching off a key protein and activating certain neurons, Metformin lowers blood sugar through that previously unnoticed pathway. Hence, this opens doors and possibly expands potential treatment for people dealing with diabetes.

The Rap1 Protein Riddle

The small protein researchers were referring to was known as Rap1. This was found in a region of the brain called the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) according to Science Daily. Researchers found that metformin's ability to reduce sugar at clinically relevant doses depends on how Rap1 activity is suppressed.

To back up their theory, they experimented on mice that lacked Rap1 in the VMH. After placing them on a high-fat diet, they were given low dosages of metformin. It was found that the sugar levels of the mice did not improve. However, other treatments such as insulin or GLP-1 remained effective.

They proceeded by placing very small amounts of metformin into the brains of the diabetic mice. Though giving lower doses, they found a marked reduction in blood sugar levels.

As far as neurons, researchers measured their electrical activity through brain tissue samples of the mice. They found that metformin increased activity but only when Rap 1 was present. For mice that lacked Rap 1, that drug had no effect. Hence, it means that Rap 1 is needed for metformin to activate the brain cells and properly regulate blood sugar.

Implications for Future Diabetes Treatments

Until now, diabetes medications were hardly linked to the brain. But with this discovery, it shows that metformin had been affecting the brain unknowingly. According to Fukuda, this is a breakthrough since it could open the door to more new diabetes treatments moving forward.

'Metformin is known for other health benefits, such as slowing brain aging. We plan to investigate whether this same brain Rap1 signaling is responsible for other well-documented effects of the drug on the brain,' Fukuda explained.

While that is welcome news, the whole process has yet to be done on humans. Tied to that, there is no telling if side effects would ensue.

Without question, it is a breakthrough and possibly a step to even better treatments for people dealing with diabetes. But for now, it remains a work in progress.