Is Alzheimer’s a form of diabetes?
More evidence has been discovered that Alzheimer’s disease may actually be a third form of diabetes, according to researchers from Northwestern University.
Insulin and insulin receptors in your brain are important for learning and memory, and these components are known to be lower in people with Alzheimer’s disease. In your brain, insulin binds to insulin receptors at the synapse, triggering the mechanism that allows neurons to survive and form memories.
Northwestern University researchers have found that a toxic protein in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients – called ADDL for “amyloid-derived diffusion ligand ß” – removes insulin receptors from the neurons and make them insulin resistant.
The findings suggest that ADDL accumulates in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and thus suppresses memory function.
This process is now said to be reversible.
The researchers speculate that the drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, which also causes insulin resistance, could “supercharge the existing Alzheimer’s drugs”.
FASEB Magazine August 24, 2007
Physorg.com September 26, 2007