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Abstract Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a worldwide issue, has been regarded as the development of overall and central obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Also it is a combination of medical disorders that, when occurring together, increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.An increasing body of epidemiological evidence suggested that MetS and its individual components could be linked to a risk of developing age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Recently the presence of a “metabolic-cognitive syndrome”, i.e. a MetS plus cognitive impairment of degenerative or vascular origin was proposed.Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone that regulates blood-glucose levels. It enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion and lowers blood-glucose in subjects with type-2 diabetes mellitus.GLP-1 plays important roles in the brain, and acts as a neurotransmitter. GLP-1 receptors are also expressed on neurons. GLP-1 has growth factor-like properties and protects neurons from neurotoxic influences. GLP-1 also reduces the induction of apoptosis of hippocampal neurons and modulates neurotransmitter release. GLP-1 and its analogues enhance cognitive function through GLP-1R. The deletion of GLP-1receptor impairs learning of new tasks and of developing long term potentiation of synaptic transmission in the brain.Exenatide, the first incretin-mimetic, is a potent and selective agonist for the GLP-1 receptor and has been widely used for the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. |