Enhancement of Impaired Olfactory Neural Activation and Cognitive Capacity by Liraglutide, but not Dapagliflozin or Acarbose, in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A 16-Week Randomized Parallel Comparative Study
Research design and methods: Thirty-six patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy were randomized to receive liraglutide, dapagliflozin, or acarbose treatment for 16 weeks. Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan and a battery of cognitive assessments were evaluated pre- and postintervention in all subjects.
Results: The 16-week treatment with liraglutide significantly enhanced the impaired odor-induced left hippocampal activation with GRF correction, and improved cognitive subdomains of delayed memory, attention, and executive function (all P < 0.05), whereas dapagliflozin or acarbose did not. Structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated that such improvements of brain health and cognitive function could be partly ascribed to a direct effect of liraglutide on left hippocampal activation (β = 0.330, P = 0.022) and delayed memory (β = 0.410, P = 0.004), as well as to the metabolic ameliorations of reduced waist circumference, decreased body fat ratio, and elevated fasting insulin (all P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Our head-to-head study demonstrated that liraglutide enhanced impaired brain activation and restored impaired cognitive domains in patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas dapagliflozin and acarbose did not. The results expand the clinical application of liraglutide and provide a novel treatment strategy for individuals with diabetes and a high risk of cognitive decline.
