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study connects diabetes drug to slowed progression of parkinson's disease

while parkinson’s and diabetes are two different diseases, one affecting the neurological system and the other the metabolic system, several commonalities exist.

by angelica bottaro
published apr 30, 2024
last updated may 08, 2024
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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research, such as the study examining lixisenatide for parkinson’s, often opens the door for broader uses of specific drugs based on their particular mechanism of action, safety, and effectiveness for more than one disorder or disease. getty images
a new study using a type 2 diabetes drug to treat motor symptoms in parkinson’s saw a reduction in the progression of motor skill deterioration in people with the disease. the drug, lixisenatide, is a form of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (glp-1 receptor agonist) that works by mimicking a hormone released in the gut after eating. in diabetes, the drug reduces blood sugar and lowers the body’s energy intake, managing high blood sugar levels. when used in a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study for 12 months in people with parkinson’s disease, the drug appeared to halt the progression of motor skill deterioration, a common and debilitating symptom of the disease.
the study participants who were given a placebo were subject to further motor skill loss, showing that the drug made a marked difference in how parkinson’s worsened over time. the results appear to give medical researchers a new direction for slowing the progression of parkinson’s disease.

the connection between parkinson’s and diabetes

while parkinson’s and diabetes are two different diseases, one affecting the neurological system and the other the metabolic system, several commonalities exist between the two that show a connection in how the body functions when either of these diseases develops. both see a dysregulation of glucose and insulin resistance, which is typically only discussed in relation to diabetes.

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new look for parkinson's disease treatment: novel therapy shows promise in clinical trials
with the current therapies geared toward symptom relief, those living with parkinson’s disease continue to wait for a drug that could address the disease progression head-on.
current medical approaches for parkinson’s disease aim to relieve symptoms in people with the disease.
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they are also closely related to inflammation levels and oxidative stress, which is an abundance of harmful substances in the body known as free radicals that lead to cell, dna, and protein damage. oxidative stress is thought to be a driving factor in the development of neurodegenerative disorders and diabetes, further solidifying a connection between both diseases.
diabetes and parkinson’s also share genetic risk factors, a similar dysfunction in mitochondria, which, if you remember from biology class, is considered the “powerhouse of the cell,” and changes in the pathology of alpha-synuclein, a neural protein shown to contribute to parkinson’s disease and its symptoms.
looking at the changes that occur in the body that contribute to both diseases, it’s thought that the correlations between the two may be used to advance medical intervention possibilities, such as using a diabetes drug to slow the progression of parkinson’s.

off-label use of drugs

medications are typically created with one disease treatment in mind. however, trials and studies can often find that certain drugs are effective at treating other conditions and diseases outside of the realm of their original use. this is considered off-label use of a medication. it’s not new to use one drug, approved for one condition, to help combat symptoms in another.
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for example, tamoxifen, created and fda-approved for use in treating breast cancer, has also shown off-label viability in treating infertility in females. another example, modafinil, is used as an off-label treatment for depression but is approved for use in various sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
research, such as the study examining lixisenatide for parkinson’s, often opens the door for broader uses of specific drugs based on their particular mechanism of action, safety, and effectiveness for more than one disorder or disease.

study shows promise for future directions, but not without its limitations

the glp-1 receptor agonist used for diabetes—parkinson’s in the study—works to treat diabetes by enhancing the action of the naturally occurring peptide glp-1. this peptide helps the body secrete insulin and inhibits the secretion of glucagon to keep blood sugar at a healthy level. the drug has also been associated with weight loss, much like ozempic, because of how it controls appetite.
as it turns out, the drug also has neuroprotective properties, which is what researchers are seeing in the study results. half of the participants, 78 people in total, who were given the drug during the study were no worse off at the end of the 12-month study period, whereas those who took the placebo saw worsened motor skill deterioration. it’s suggested that it all comes down to those commonalities between the two diseases that make the drug transferable.
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the underlying actions of the drug on parkinson’s motor symptoms are not well understood, so further research is needed to determine if it could be used in the general population to halt disease progression in people with parkinson’s. the researchers also note that there is no current evidence supporting how lixisenatide could improve non-motor parkinson’s symptoms, such as cognitive impairment, psychiatric symptoms, and autonomic dysfunction.
angelica bottaro
angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

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