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Daily Record
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
The diabetes drug that cuts migraines in half and could help millions worldwide
A diabetes medication that lowers brain fluid pressure has cut monthly migraine days by more than half, according to a new study Migraines can be, at best, an inconvenience and, at worst, totally debilitating. Your work rate and relationships can suffer when you're not feeling yourself. And when pills and painkillers don't touch the sides, it can be hard knowing where to turn. However, a common diabetes drug may be the next big thing for migraine relief, according to an interesting new study. In fact, the diabetes medication that lowers brain fluid pressure has cut monthly migraine days by more than half. The findings from the clinical study were presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025. As part of the research, obese patients with chronic migraines who took liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, experienced over 50 per cent fewer headache days and significantly improved daily functioning without meaningful weight loss. Researchers believe the drug's ability to lower brain fluid pressure is the key, potentially opening a completely new way to treat migraines. The effects were fast, sustained, and came with only mild side effects. "Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported quality of life improved significantly," said lead researcher Dr Simone Braca. "The benefit lasted for the full three-month observation period, even though weight loss was modest and statistically non-significant." Researchers at the Headache Centre of the University of Naples Federico II gave GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide to 26 adults with obesity and chronic migraine - which is when you have more than 15 headaches a month. Afterwards, patients reported having 11 fewer headaches per month, while their work, study, and sociability got significantly better. What's more, although the patients also lost a bit of weight - with their BMI dropping slightly from 34.01 to 33.65 - this was found to have had no link to how often they experienced headaches. This strengthened the study's belief that pressure modulation, not weight loss, is behind the improvement. "We think that... these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide," Dr Braca explained. "That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway." Mild side effects, mainly nausea and constipation, occurred in 38 per cent of participants, but it did not force them to drop out of the 12-week study. Off the back of the study, a randomised, double-blind trial is now being planned by the same research team in Naples. "We also want to determine whether other GLP-1 drugs can deliver the same relief, possibly with even fewer gastrointestinal side effects," Dr Braca added. If confirmed, GLP-1-receptor agonists could offer a new treatment option for the estimated one in seven people worldwide who live with migraine, particularly those who do not respond to current preventives. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Gulf Today
7 days ago
- Health
- Gulf Today
Why nightmares could make you age faster and die sooner
Frequent nightmares are linked to premature ageing and increase the risk of an early death, according to a new study. Adults who report weekly nightmares are more than three times likely to die before the age of 70 compared to those who rarely or never experience them, researchers found. The study found nightmares to be a "stronger predictor of premature death" than smoking, obesity, poor diet, and low physical activity. The scientists warned the findings should be treated as a "public health concern", but said people can reduce nightmares by managing stress. The team, led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku of the UK Dementia Research Institute, and Imperial College London, analysed data from 2,429 children aged eight to 10 and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 over a period of 19 years. The research, presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress this month, found that nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, which impairs the body's overnight cellular restoration and repair ability. The combined impacts of chronic stress and disrupted sleep are likely to contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies. Dr Otaiku said, "Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding - because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake." He said: "Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing. For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the ageing process." He added: "Given how common and modifiable nightmares are, they should be taken far more seriously as a public health concern." Researchers found that children and adults who had frequent nightmares also exhibited faster ageing. This accounted for approximately 40 per cent of those who had a higher risk of early death. Dr Otaiku said this was the first study to show nightmares can predict faster biological ageing and earlier mortality, even after accounting for other health issues. Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality compared to those who had no nightmares. and the links were consistent across all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and mental health statuses. "The good news is that nightmares can be prevented and treated," said Dr Otaiku. Simple measures, such as maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, seeking treatment for anxiety or depression and not watching scary films can be effective in reducing nightmares, he said. The Independent
UPI
24-06-2025
- Health
- UPI
Blood test might predict symptoms relapse in MS patients
A blood test might predict when multiple sclerosis patients are about to suffer a relapse in their symptoms, a new study says. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News A blood test might predict when multiple sclerosis patients are about to suffer a relapse in their symptoms, a new study says. Blood levels of a protein called neurofilament light chain rise significantly in MS patients up to a year before they have a relapse, researchers reported Monday at a meeting of the European Academy of Neurology in Helsinki. This sort of early detection can help doctors prepare for a relapse, ensuring timely treatment and potentially slowing the progression of MS, researchers said. "Our findings significantly support the idea that serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) has real potential for integration into routine monitoring of MS," lead researcher Maria Martinez-Serrat, a doctoral student at the Medical University of Graz in Austria, said in a news release. "Interpreted correctly, it could help clinicians anticipate disease activity, evaluate treatment response, and personalize care for patients at greater risk and ultimately enable earlier, more targeted interventions," she said. MS occurs when the immune system starts attacking the protective sheath that covers nerve cells, which is called myelin. This causes a wide-ranging and irreversible damage, impairing people's ability to move, damaging their vision and causing problems with mood and memory. People with early MS often will enter long periods of remission, with weeks or months of recovery between symptom flare-ups. To see if these relapses could be predicted, researchers turned to neurofilament light chain -- a protein that is released when nerve cells are damaged. "Our aim was to explore how sNfL levels evolve over time and how they might serve as an early clinical warning sign of relapses in real-world settings," Martinez-Serrat said. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 162 MS patients tracked for around 10 years. Results showed that sNfL levels could indeed predict an MS flare up, but only among those patients not currently suffering symptoms. "When someone is already in relapse, sNfL levels are high due to ongoing nerve injury, which limits its predictive power," Martinez-Serrat said. "But during remission, unexpected spikes in sNfL can flag hidden, emerging pathology -- making it an effective early warning signal." However, the test could only predict MS flare-ups out to one year. The test reflects current or recent nerve damage, "which makes it excellent for short-term risk assessment," Martinez-Serrat said. "But long-term prediction is confounded by treatment changes, lifestyle factors, or new inflammatory events." The protein's levels also remained elevated for up to nine months after a person's relapse, reflecting how long it can take for the body to recover, researchers said. While sNfL shows promise as a test for MS patients, Martinez-Serrat cautioned against using it in isolation. "MS is a multifaceted disease, and sNfL is one piece of the puzzle," she said. "Future research may focus on combining it with other biomarkers ... to build a more complete picture of disease trajectory." Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The Cleveland Clinic has more on neurofilament light chain. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
23-06-2025
- Health
- UPI
Blood test may predict rapid brain decline in Alzheimer's patients
A common blood test can flag early Alzheimer's disease patients who are four times more likely to experience rapid brain decline, a new study says. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News A common blood test can flag early Alzheimer's disease patients who are four times more likely to experience rapid brain decline, a new study says. The test -- the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index -- assesses a person's level of insulin resistance and can estimate their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. But the test also can help determine which people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's might experience a faster decline in brain function, researchers reported at the European Academy of Neurology's annual meeting. "Once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, families always ask how fast it will progress," lead investigator Dr. Bianca Gumina, a neurology resident at the University of Brescia's Brain Health Center in Italy, said in a news release. "Our data show that a simple metabolic marker available in every hospital laboratory can help identify more vulnerable subjects who may be suitable candidates for targeted therapy or specific intervention strategies," she added. Insulin resistance has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's, but its role in how quickly the disease progresses has received less attention, researchers said in background notes. For the study, researchers reviewed medical records for 315 non-diabetic patients in cognitive decline, including 200 with confirmed Alzheimer's disease. All underwent the TyG index blood test and were followed for three years. The third of Alzheimer's patients with the highest levels of insulin resistance had a quadrupled risk of faster cognitive decline, when compared to those with the least insulin resistance, results show. "We were surprised to see the effect only in the Alzheimer's spectrum and not in other neurodegenerative diseases," Gumina noted. "It suggests a disease-specific vulnerability to metabolic stress during the prodromal window, when interventions may still change the trajectory." Insulin resistance is believed to advance Alzheimer's by impeding blood sugar uptake to neurons, promoting accumulation of toxic beta amyloid proteins, disrupting the blood-brain barrier and fueling inflammation, researchers said. This study found that high TyG-assessed insulin resistance was indeed associated with disruption to the blood-brain barrier, researchers said. However, insulin resistance did not appear to interact with a person's genetic risk for Alzheimer's, indicating that these are separate risk factors that might operate independently. Researchers now are investigating whether TyG levels track with imaging scans of Alzheimer's, as combining the two could aid earlier detection. "If targeting metabolism can delay progression, we will have a readily modifiable target that works alongside emerging disease-modifying drugs," Gumina said. She presented her findings Monday at the EAN meeting in Helsinki. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The University of Washington has more on insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
THIS common condition may speed up Alzheimer's disease: Experts recommend a simple blood test to determine it
A recent study presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025 reveals that a blood test could predict rapid cognitive decline in early Alzheimer's patients. Researchers at the University of Brescia found insulin resistance, measured by the TyG index, significantly accelerates the disease's progression. Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common type of dementia, is on the rise. About 57 million people had dementia worldwide in 2021, and the numbers are escalating. This progressive neurodegenerative disorder affects the quality of life, even impacting daily activities, and hence, early diagnosis is crucial. Researchers have now found that a simple blood test may soon help doctors predict which patients with early Alzheimer's disease are most at risk of rapid cognitive decline. They also found that a common condition related to metabolic disorders could dramatically accelerate the disease. The research was led by neurologists at the University of Brescia in Italy and was presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025. Common condition linked to accelerated Alzheimer's disease The common condition in question is insulin resistance . The researchers looked at the records of 315 non-diabetic patients with cognitive deficits, including 200 with biologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease. All participants underwent a TyG index assessment and were followed clinically over three years. The researchers found that the patients in the highest third of the TyG index within the Mild Cognitive Impairment-AD subgroup declined significantly faster than those with lower readings, losing more than 2.5 points per year on the widely used Mini-Mental State Examination. The ratio for rapid progression was 4.08 (95% CI 1.06–15.73), which is a fourfold increase in risk. 'Once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, families always ask how fast it will progress. Our data show that a simple metabolic marker available in every hospital laboratory can help identify more vulnerable subjects who may be suitable candidates for targeted therapy or specific intervention strategies,' lead investigator Dr Bianca Gumina said in a statement. Impact of insulin resistance on Alzheimer's disease Though previous research has shown the association between insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease , its role in how quickly the condition progresses has not been much explored. This recent study looked into insulin resistance's impact during the prodromal mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, when patients follow highly variable trajectories. What is insulin resistance Insulin resistance is a condition where the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps glucose (sugar) enter cells for energy. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, but over time, this can lead to elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and other serious health conditions. The study The researchers used the TyG index, a simple and affordable way to measure insulin resistance, to see if metabolic problems could help predict how quickly cognitive decline happens after diagnosis. 'We were surprised to see the effect only in the Alzheimer's spectrum and not in other neurodegenerative diseases. It suggests a disease-specific vulnerability to metabolic stress during the prodromal window, when interventions may still change the trajectory', Dr Gumina added. Salman Khan Drops Health Bombshell on National TV The researchers at the University of Brescia, led by Professor Padovani and Professor Pilotto, found that high TyG was also associated with blood–brain barrier disruption and cardiovascular risk factors. However, it showed no interaction with the APOE ε4 genotype, and hinted that metabolic and genetic risks may act through distinct pathways. 'If targeting metabolism can delay progression, we will have a readily modifiable target that works alongside emerging disease-modifying drugs', Dr Gumina concluded. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
