Scientists uncover ‘hidden brain effects’ of medication taken by millions

Scientists uncover ‘hidden brain effects’ of medication taken by millions Metformin was previously believed to only act on the gut and liver Scientists have made a breakthrough in how a common medication taken by millions actually works. The discovery could pave the way for other treatments after it upended previous thinking. Metformin is a common prescription medication used mostly to treat type 2 diabetes as it helps the body manage insulin and lower blood sugar levels. Until recently, experts believed the drug was doing this only by acting in the liver and gut. However, a new discovery has found the drug actually uses a previously unknown pathway in the brain to promote its anti-diabetic action. Researchers behind the study hope this discovery will unlock more precise treatments in the future using this brain pathway and lift some of the mystery around metformin. Dr. Makoto Fukuda, associate professor of pediatrics-nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine said, according to Science Daily: “We found that SF1 neurons are activated when metformin is introduced into the brain, suggesting they're directly involved in the drug's action. "This discovery changes how we think about metformin. It's not just working in the liver or the gut, it's also acting in the brain. We found that while the liver and intestines need high concentrations of the drug to respond, the brain reacts to much lower levels." By using genetically engineered diabetic mice, the researchers found that injecting metformin into the brain had a significant effect on blood sugar even when the dose was thousands of times lower than what would be taken orally. Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in America discovered that metformin activates the SF1 neuron at the same time that ‘turns off’ a protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus region of the brain. This protein, known as Rap1, affects how the body deals with glucose. The study found that metformin's ability to lower blood sugar relied on suppressing Rap1 activity. Millions of people across the globe rely on metformin to manage their blood sugar and insulin. While it’s mostly prescribed for type 2 diabetics, it can also help those with gestational diabetes, prediabetes and PMOS, previously known as polycystic ovarian syndrome. Unlike some other types of diabetes management, metformin doesn’t cause weight gain. However it can cause a range of side effects according to the NHS. Common side effects of metformin include: - Nausea - Vomiting - Diarrhoea - Stomach ache - Loss of appetite - Metallic taste in the mouth