New Hope For Alzheimer’s Patients
Alzheimer’s memory loss may be linked to a third type of diabetes.
If that’s true, this devastating disease may be more treatable than previously thought.
Here’s why:
Amyloid-beta derived diffusible ligand (ADDL) is a toxic protein found in Alzheimer’s patients.
Now there’s evidence that ADDL removes insulin receptors from nerve cells which makes them insulin-resistant. This stops the brain insulin signaling activity that’s vital for memory.
Instead, the insulin receptors accumulate near the nucleus of the cell where insulin can’t reach them.
This may be why ADDLs in the brain cause such severe memory problems in Alzheimer’s patients.
If true, this potential link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes offers hope for new treatments.
Researchers want to make those insulin receptors resistant to ADDLS which they believe may not be that hard.
These results came from a study by a Northwestern University research team. It was published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.
Technorati Tags: Alzheimers, diabetes, insulin
September 27th, 2007 at 9:35 am
My uncle is in the early stages of Alzheimers. I hope they’re able to find the answer before it’s too late for him.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Alzheimer’s is caused by an antioxidant defeciency.
Zandi PP, Anthony JC, Khachaturian AS, et al. Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study. Arch Neurol. 2004 Jan; 61(1): 82-8
“BACKGROUND: Antioxidants may protect the aging brain against oxidative damage associated with pathological changes of Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between antioxidant supplement use and risk of AD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and prospective study of dementia. Elderly (65 years or older) county residents were assessed in 1995 to 1997 for prevalent dementia and AD, and again in 1998 to 2000 for incident illness. Supplement use was ascertained at the first contact. SETTING: Cache County, Utah. PARTICIPANTS: Among 4740 respondents (93%) with data sufficient to determine cognitive status at the initial assessment, we identified 200 prevalent cases of AD. Among 3227 survivors at risk, we identified 104 incident AD cases at follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Diagnosis of AD by means of multistage assessment procedures. RESULTS: Analyses of prevalent and incident AD yielded similar results. Use of vitamin E and C (ascorbic acid) supplements in combination was associated with reduced AD prevalence (adjusted odds ratio, 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.60) and incidence (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.09-0.99). A trend toward lower AD risk was also evident in users of vitamin E and multivitamins containing vitamin C, but we saw no evidence of a protective effect with use of vitamin E or vitamin C supplements alone, with multivitamins alone, or with vitamin B-complex supplements. CONCLUSIONS: Use of vitamin E and vitamin C supplements in combination is associated with reduced prevalence and incidence of AD. Antioxidant supplements merit further study as agents for the primary prevention of AD.”
There are hundreds of articles abou this on PubMed.
September 27th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Interesting. Would’ve never connected Alzheimers to diabetes.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
There could be more than one cause for Alzheimers. Whether it’s a form of diabetes or an antioxidant deficiency, it’s worth looking into because so many people suffer from it.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
A friend of mine is a diabetic. I wonder if this puts her at more risk of developing Alzheimers. I don’t want to tell her about this because I don’t want to scare her. I hope they find a treatment.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
If Alzheimers is a kind of diabetes and overweight people get diabetic cuz of how they eat… I’m just thinking out loud here… but does that mean overweight people can get Alzheimers easier? That’s really scary to think about.
September 27th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
The incedence of Alzheimers Disease is about 1 in 10 people over the age of 65. With diabetes, it increases to about 1 in 5.