Parkinson’s Disease: New Drug Could Slow Progression
Researchers have made an exciting discovery in the search for effective treatments for Parkinson’s disease. A drug similar to those used in “skinny jabs” has shown promise in slowing the progression of symptoms associated with the condition.
Parkinson’s disease is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing problems with movement, balance, and memory, among other effects. Currently, there is no known cure for Parkinson’s, and available treatments only help manage the symptoms.
However, in recent years, there has been growing excitement over glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1R agonists) as a possible treatment for Parkinson’s disease. One such drug, exenatide, originally used to treat type 2 diabetes, was found to slow the progression of motor symptoms in a small group of people with Parkinson’s.
Now, researchers have found that another GLP-1R agonist, lixisenatide, may have a similar effect. This supports the theory that Parkinson’s disease could be associated with insulin resistance in the brain.
The study, conducted in France, randomly assigned 156 people recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s into two groups. Both groups took their usual Parkinson’s medication, but one group also received a daily injection of lixisenatide, while the other group received a placebo.
After 12 months, the results showed that the group receiving lixisenatide had essentially no progression of motor problems, while the placebo group experienced worsening symptoms. This difference, although modest, is considered clinically meaningful.
Furthermore, the effects of lixisenatide persisted even after the trial ended and other Parkinson’s medications were halted overnight. This suggests that lixisenatide not only reduces symptoms but also protects against the loss of neurons in the brain.
Despite these exciting findings, there were some drawbacks to the use of lixisenatide. Approximately half of the participants who received the drug reported nausea, and 13% reported vomiting. This highlights the need for further research to determine the most effective dose and to investigate whether the benefits of lixisenatide persist over time and in different stages of Parkinson’s disease.
Heather Mortiboys, a professor of cellular neuroscience and metabolism at the University of Sheffield, who was not involved in the study, commented on the results. She expressed her optimism about the findings and emphasized the need for larger phase 3 clinical trials to validate these results.
The potential implications of this research are significant. The discovery of GLP-1R agonists as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease opens up new avenues for research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. It suggests that there may be a link between insulin resistance and the loss of neurons in the brain, providing researchers with new targets for potential therapies.
These findings also have implications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as GLP-1R agonists have already demonstrated efficacy in managing the disease and aiding weight loss. However, it is important to note that not all GLP-1R