Abstract—This study investigated the potential benefits and controversies surrounding the use of biguanides, a class of drugs commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, as an intervention to protect cognitive function in these patients. By combining cross-sectional survey methods with case-control studies, the research explored the impact of biguanides on cognitive functioning in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The findings revealed significant cognitive dysfunction among type 2 diabetes patients, and this dysfunction was associated with neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation. In the cross-sectional survey, cognitive function scores were significantly lower among type 2 diabetes patients compared to non-diabetic individuals, indicating that cognitive impairment is a common issue in this population. In the case-control study, the ADCS (a cognitive impairment scale) scores differed significantly between the biguanide-treated group and the control group, suggesting that biguanides may protect cognitive function through certain mechanisms. The research indicated that biguanides could exert their effects by influencing neural pathway regulation, mitigating oxidative stress, and enhancing neuronal survival rates. However, the current study has certain limitations. The small sample size remains a concern, and the need for further long-term studies to confirm the cognitive protective effects of biguanides has not yet been addressed. Additionally, the cross-sectional design may have introduced confounding factors that influenced the results. Overall, this study demonstrates the promising cognitive protective effects of biguanides in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, further research is needed to better understand their long-term effects and mechanisms of action. For clinical practice, it is recommended to incorporate cognitive assessments into the management of type 2 diabetes patients and to monitor potential side effects such as hypoglycemia and muscle discomfort. At the policy level, greater emphasis should be placed on cognitive impairment management in type 2 diabetes patients to enable more personalized treatment plans based on individual needs.
 
Keywords—biguanide, type 2 diabetes, neural pathway regulation, oxidative stress, neuronal survival rate

Cite: Yanwen Ge, "The Potential and Controversies of Biguanide in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease," International Journal of Pharma Medicine and Biological Sciences, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 125-128, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).