Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), originally developed for glycemic control, are emerging as neuroprotective agents. This review evaluates the evidence regarding the effects of GLP-1RAs in populations with T2DM-both with and without cognitive impairment, as well as in individuals diagnosed with AD. We conducted a comprehensive literature search and identified ten studies for inclusion: six randomized controlled trials, one prospective open-label study, and three observational studies. GLP-1RAs consistently demonstrated cognitive benefits in patients with T2DM, even in the absence of metabolic improvements. In cases of early dementia or AD, GLP-1RA treatment preserved brain metabolism and connectivity but did not significantly alter amyloid or tau biomarkers. Notably, cognitive improvements were most evident in individuals with higher body mass index (BMI) or obesity. While some studies reported neural functional changes via imaging, direct modifications in established AD biomarkers were not consistently observed. In conclusion, GLP-1RAs may improve cognitive outcomes and brain function, particularly in the early stages of neurodegeneration and among high-risk T2DM populations. Further well-designed clinical trials are needed to evaluate the impacts of GLP-1RAs on both the clinical progression and underlying pathology of dementia.

Background and Objectives: Hand grip strength (HGS) and osteoporosis are known to be closely related to the health condition of the elderly, respectively. Comprehensive studies including adults over middle age were insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between HGS with osteoporosis and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults aged >40 years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included data from 13,966 people aged >40 years between 2015 to 2018 provided by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The HGS was divided into strong and weak quartiles, defined as the highest and lowest quartiles, respectively. We used the European Quality of Life Scale-Five dimensions (EQ-5D) for HRQoL. We performed multiple logistic regression and post hoc analysis to confirm the relationship between the four groups and HRQoL. Results: Osteoporotic patients with weak HGS showed the lowest EQ-5D index (0.87 ± 0.01) among all groups and had a significantly impaired HRQoL in all EQ-5D dimensions, at least 1.75 times more than healthy individuals with strong HGS (0.95 ± 0.00). Osteoporotic patients with weak HGS showed, notably, 2.68 times more impaired mobility compared to healthy individuals with strong HGS among all five dimensions of the EQ-5D. In self-care, significant sex differences in impaired HRQoL were observed (males 6.03, 2.23–16.35; females 2.51, 1.70–3.71). Conclusions: Weak HGS and the presence of osteoporosis were associated with low HRQoL, respectively. Middle-aged and older adults with both weak HGS and osteoporosis showed poorer HRQoL compared to healthy middle-aged and older adults. This suggests that HGS is a possible factor for predicting poor HRQoL in adults aged >40 years with or without osteoporosis. It is necessary to assess the risk of low HRQoL by measuring HGS and confirming whether osteoporosis is accompanied in adults over middle age.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) and quality of life (QOL) in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 13,966 from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2015 to 2018. All participants underwent the health-related QOL assessment using the European Quality of Life Scale-Five dimensions (EQ-5D) and measured the HGS. The weak HGS was defined as the lowest quartile. We investigated the difference in QOL between patients with arthritis and the healthy control group and evaluated the correlation between weak HGS and QOL in arthritis patients. Results: Those diagnosed with OA or RA had significantly lower QOL than healthy controls. The weak HGS was significantly correlated with lower QOL in arthritis patients. Among OA patients, those with weak HGS revealed significantly higher odds ratios for impairment in all dimensions of EQ-5D. RA patients with weak HGS had significantly higher odds ratios for impairment in dimensions of mobility, self-care, usual activity, and pain/discomfort than those with normal HGS. Conclusions: These results suggest that weak HGS is significantly associated with decreased QOL in patients with arthritis.

Hyo Jin Park. Korean J Fam Pract 2024;14:116-20. https://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2024.14.3.116