A mouse model was used to determine the effect of high fat diet and metformin treatment on cognition, brain neurotrophic factor expression and Nrf2 expression.
Transcripts of three major neurotrophic factors were decreased in brains of metformin treated mice.
Brain protein and mRNA levels of the antioxidant regulatory factor Nrf2 were decreased by metformin treatment.
Long-term high dose metformin use may create disadvantageous biochemical conditions in the brain.