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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 38 · 2017

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Blood-Brain Glucose Transfer in Alzheimer's disease: Effect of GLP-1 Analog Treatment.

Gejl M, Brock B, Egefjord L, Vang K, Rungby J, Gjedde A

Scientific reports13 Dec 2017Cited by 137 (Europe PMC)

PMID29235507 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC5727512 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/s41598-017-17718-y (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-29235507
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Summary

There are fewer than normal glucose transporters at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). When reduced expression of transporters aggravates the symptoms of AD, the transporters become a potential target of therapy. The incretin hormone GLP-1 prevents the decline of cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) in AD, and GLP-1 may serve to raise transporter numbers. We hypothesized that the GLP-1 analog liraglutide would prevent the decline of CMRglc in AD by raising blood-brain glucose transfer, depending on the duration of disease. We randomized 38 patients with AD to treatment with liraglutide (n = 18) or placebo (n = 20) for 6 months, and determined the blood-brain glucose transfer capacity (T max) in the two groups and a healthy age matched control group (n = 6). In both AD groups at baseline, T max estimates correlated inversely with the duration of AD, as did the estimates of CMRglc that in turn were positively correlated with cognition. The GLP-1 analog treatment, compared to placebo, highly significantly raised the T max estimates of cerebral cortex from 0.72 to 1.1 umol/g/min, equal to T max estimates in healthy volunteers. The result is consistent with the claim that GLP-1 analog treatment restores glucose transport at the BBB.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

1 result from studies that gave the peptide. 1 result from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In patients with Alzheimer's disease, liraglutide raised cortical blood-brain glucose transfer capacity (Tmax) versus placebo, to the level of healthy volunteers.

    In plain wordsIn people with Alzheimer's disease, liraglutide raised the brain's glucose transfer capacity more than placebo, to a level equal to healthy volunteers.

    Peptide
    Liraglutide
    Outcome
    IncreaseBlood-brain glucose transfer capacity (Tmax) in cerebral cortex
    Study

    n = 38

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 6 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Tmax
    0.72 to 1.1 umol/g/min
    cerebral cortex, liraglutide versus placebo

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The GLP-1 analog treatment, compared to placebo, highly significantly raised the T max estimates of cerebral cortex from 0.72 to 1.1 umol/g/min, equal to T max estimates in healthy volunteers.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    We randomized 38 patients with AD to treatment with liraglutide (n = 18) or placebo (n = 20) for 6 months, and determined the blood-brain glucose transfer capacity (T max) in the two groups and a healthy age matched control group (n = 6).

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    12 Oct 2026, 12:10 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:05 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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