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Metformin Impairs Spatial Memory and Visual Acuity in Old Male Mice
Nopporn Thangthaeng1, Margaret Rutledge1, Jessica M Wong1
1Center for Neuroscience Discovery, Institute for Healthy Aging, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX 76107 USA.
Aging and Disease
|February 17, 2017
Summary
Metformin, an anti-diabetic drug, did not improve motor or cognitive function in aging mice. Instead, it impaired spatial memory and visual acuity, suggesting potential negative effects on the central nervous system.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Metformin is a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes.
- Metformin's potential anti-aging properties and effects on gene expression are being investigated.
- Its impact on the central nervous system (CNS) remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of chronic metformin on motor and cognitive functions in aging male mice.
- To assess metformin's influence on redox homeostasis in the liver, hippocampus, and cortex.
- To determine if metformin can mitigate age-related functional declines in the CNS.
Main Methods:
- Male C57BL/6 mice (4, 11, or 22 months old) received metformin in drinking water or a control solution.
- Weekly monitoring of body weight, food, and water intake.
- Behavioral tests for motor, cognitive, and visual function; tissue analysis for redox homeostasis.
Main Results:
- Metformin did not alter blood glucose, body weight, or redox homeostasis across ages.
- No beneficial effects on age-related psychomotor, cognitive, or sensory decline were observed.
- Metformin treatment negatively impacted spatial memory and visual acuity, reducing SOD activity in brain regions.
Conclusions:
- Chronic metformin supplementation in male mice did not improve age-related functional decline.
- Metformin exhibited deleterious effects on spatial memory and visual function.
- These findings suggest potential adverse impacts of metformin on the central nervous system.
