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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Metabolic Disorders
Pharmacology

Background:

Cognitive deficits are prevalent in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and mood disorders.
Metabolic disturbances are linked to cognitive function.
Metformin may influence cognitive function by addressing metabolic issues.

Purpose of the Study:

To review evidence on metformin's effects on cognitive function.
To summarize proposed mechanisms of metformin's action on cognition.

Main Methods:

Literature search of PubMed (1990-July 2014).
Keywords included metformin, Major Depressive Disorder, T2DM, and cognitive dysfunction.
Review of English language articles.

Main Results:

Preclinical and clinical data on metformin's cognitive effects are mixed.
Both cognitive impairment and improvement have been reported.
Heterogeneous study designs hinder definitive conclusions.

Conclusions:

Current evidence does not strongly support metformin for cognitive improvement in T2DM or mood disorders.
Metformin warrants further investigation for cognitive dysfunction.
A proof-of-concept trial in mood disorders is recommended.