Metformin Found To Create New Brain Cells Metformin Found To Create New Brain Cells
The Hospital for Sick Children

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Canada, have found that metformin, a Type II diabetes drug, can help instruct stem cells in the brain to becomenerve cells. Brain stem cells and nerve cells canhelp repair aninjured brain.

Dr. Freda Miller, Senior Scientist at SickKids and Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto led the study.

The researchers found that in adult mice, metformin increased the development of new neurons in the brain. When the mice performed water maze tests, metformin was found to increase their ability to learn and remember.

Because metformin is already a commonly-used drug, clinical trials may not be very far off.

Funding was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Stem Cell Network, the Three To Be Foundation, the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and SickKids Foundation.