Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at risk for accelerated cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, their risk of stroke is increased and their outcome after stroke is worse than in those without diabetes. Incretinâbased therapies are a class of antidiabetic agents that are of interest in relation to these cerebral complications of diabetes. Two classes of incretinâbased therapies are currently available: the glucagonâlikeâpeptideâ1 agonists and the dipeptidyl peptidaseâ4 âinhibitors. Independent of their glucoseâlowering effects, incretinâbased therapies might also have direct or indirect beneficial effects on the brain. In the present review, we discuss the potential of incretinâbased therapies in relation to dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease, and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. Experimental studies on Alzheimer's disease have found beneficial effects of incretinâbased therapies on cognition, synaptic plasticity and metabolism of amyloidâÎČ and microtubuleâassociated protein tau. Preclinical studies on incretinâbased therapies in stroke have shown an improved functional outcome, a reduction of infarct volume as well as neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties. Both with regard to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and with regard to prevention and treatment of stroke, randomized controlled trials in patients with or without diabetes are underway. In conclusion, experimental studies show promising results of incretinâbased therapies at improving the outcome of Alzheimer's disease and stroke through glucoseâindependent pleiotropic effects on the brain. If these findings would indeed be confirmed in large clinical randomized controlled trials, this would have substantial impact.