Metformin for older overweight adults with mild cognitive impairment

The Efficacy and Safety of Metformin Intervention in Elderly Overweight or Obesity With Mild Cognitive Impairment by a Single-center, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Interventional Study (Include Elderly Patients With Obesity or Overweight)

PHASE1; PHASE2 · Fudan University · NCT07395960

This will test whether taking metformin alongside lifestyle changes can help thinking and memory in older overweight adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Quick facts

PhasePHASE1; PHASE2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment54 (estimated)
Ages60 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
SponsorFudan University (other)
Locations1 site (Shanghai)
Trial IDNCT07395960 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a prospective, randomized, single-center phase 1/2 trial enrolling 54 elderly overweight or obese participants with mild cognitive impairment. Participants will be assigned to receive metformin plus lifestyle intervention or to a control arm, with cognitive performance and brain imaging followed over time. Functional MRI will be used to examine central insulin resistance while cognitive scales (such as MoCA), metabolic measures, and safety labs will be tracked. The goal is to see if metformin can improve brain insulin signaling and slow or improve cognitive decline in this population.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 60–75 with BMI ≥24 kg/m2, MoCA scores in the MCI range, HbA1c under 8.5%, no recent use of hypoglycemic drugs, able to undergo MRI, and willing to sign informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients with type 1 diabetes, recent use of hypoglycemic drugs, advanced dementia, prior stroke/vascular dementia, significant liver or kidney dysfunction, severe comorbidities, or who cannot tolerate metformin or MRI are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, metformin could improve or stabilize thinking and memory in older overweight people with MCI by improving brain insulin resistance.

How similar studies have performed: Large observational studies in people with type 2 diabetes have linked metformin to lower dementia risk but results are mixed and randomized interventional data in elderly obese patients with MCI are limited.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age: 60 - 75 years old
* Body Mass Index: ≥ 24 kg/m2
* Glycated Hemoglobin \< 8.5%
* Moca Scale score: 20-26 points (education\> 10 years) or 20-25 points (education≤ 10 years)
* Sign the informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any hypoglycemic drugs have been used within 8 weeks prior to enrollment
* Type 1 diabetes
* Unable to undergo central nervous system magnetic resonance examination
* History of alcohol or drug addiction
* Severe gastrointestinal diseases, history of gastrointestinal surgery, severe cardiac or pulmonary dysfunction, malignant tumors and other diseases
* Abnormal liver function (liver enzyme indicators more than 2.5 times the upper limit of the reference range) or abnormal kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate\< 45 ml/min)
* There are diseases such as cerebral infarction and vascular dementia
* There are conditions judged by the investigator as being unsuitable for enrollment

Where this trial is running

Shanghai

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment, Overweight or Obesity, Elderly

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.