After 60 Years, Diabetes Drug Revealed to Unexpectedly Affect the Brain

Research team identified a brain pathway through which metformin acts researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reported in 2025.

Metformin traveled to the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) mouse experiments in the 2025 study.

Rap1 when absent, metformin had no effect on a diabetes-like condition in mice genetically modified mice lacking Rap1 were used in tests.

SF1 neurons were activated when metformin was introduced into the brain in-brain administration in mice reported by the authors.

Metformin direct brain injections lowered blood glucose in mice direct injections performed in the study.