New study seeks to unlock link between Parkinson’s disease, insulin resistance and GLP-1 medications

A new study analysing data from Our Future Health volunteers hopes to improve understanding around the causes of Parkinson’s disease that could be treated with GLP-1 medications. 

The study, by researchers at Imperial College London, will analyse patterns in the data to look for early signs of metabolic problems in people who go on to develop Parkinson’s disease.  

They hope to describe a simple way for doctors to identify cases of the disease that may be linked to issues with insulin resistance.  

If established, the model could empower smarter clinical trials that test whether GLP-1 medication could be used to slow the progression of Parkinson’s. 

The study is the first approved research project funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), as part of a new £1 million fund to cover the costs of researchers using Our Future Health data for up to 2 years.  

It was approved to access Our Future Health’s trusted research environment on 01 June 2026, following a stringent 35-day review process. 

Parkinson’s and insulin

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects around 166,000 people in the UK. Key symptoms include muscle stiffness and tremor, cognitive decline and problems with anxiety and depression.  

The causes of the disease are still unknown, and there are currently no treatments to slow its progression. However, previous research has suggested that some cases of Parkinson’s disease can be associated with problems with metabolic health, which is a measure of how the body deals with sugar, fat, and manages blood pressure. 

In such cases, researchers believe that GLP-1 receptor agonists, which act on insulin and metabolic pathways, could be used to slow the disease’s progression.  

GLP-1 receptor agonists are currently used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. 

To date, there have been three clinical trials interrogating the efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonists for Parkinson’s patients. Two trials indicated that the drugs may slow the disease. The third, bigger trial, did not. 

Researchers believe that more targeted clinical trials that only test patients with insulin-resistance linked Parkinson’s could lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of GLP-1 drugs as a potential treatment. 

“We need to know whether some people respond and others do not, and how to tell them apart,” write the Imperial College London researchers in their study summary. “Our Future Health volunteers are helping us answer this question.” 

“Using Our Future Health data, we can look for early signs of metabolic problems in people who go on to develop Parkinson’s, and check whether these signs mark out a group who would respond well to the medicines. 

“If we are right, doctors could one day use a simple test to work out who is most likely to benefit. Future studies of the medicine could then focus on the right people, improving chances of success.” 

“In the longer term, our work could help people with Parkinson’s live well for longer and could save the NHS money by avoiding treatments that do not help.” 

Dr Cynthia Sandor from Imperial College London is the Principal Investigator of this study and is funded by the UK Dementia Research Institute, the Safra Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation 

More about the MRC £1m fund for researchers

For other researchers interested in applying for MRC funding, the pilot scheme is available to researchers from the following groups: 

• Researchers supported by MRC funding through a grant  

• Researchers at an MRC-funded institute or unit  

• Senior researchers applying on behalf of MRC-funded students or fellows, where the majority of the student or fellow’s project funding is from the MRC.  

To apply, researchers must visit the MRC’s funding finder and submit an Expression of Interest.  

Researchers who meet the MRC’s required criteria must then follow the normal Our Future Health researcher registration process and submit a study application form. Our Access Board reviews study proposals in line with our strict access process. 

More about Our Future Health and Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s UK is an affiliate charity of Our Future Health. Visit parkinsons.org.uk for information and support on the disease