Insulin may be Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease
New research shows that insulin may slow or prevent the damage and memory loss caused by Alzheimer's Disease. The results also suggest Alzheimer's could be a third form of diabetes.
Northwestern University-led research team published their findings in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study took neurons from the hippocampus, one of the brain's crucial memory centers, and treated the cells with insulin and the insulin-sensitizing drug rosiglitazone. Researchers found that damage caused by ADDLs, toxic proteins that build up in persons with Alzheimer's disease, were blocked.
"Therapeutics designed to increase insulin sensitivity in the brain could provide new avenues for treating Alzheimer's disease," said senior author William L. Klein, a researcher in Northwestern's Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center." Sensitivity to insulin can decline with aging, which presents a novel risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Our results demonstrate that bolstering insulin signaling can protect neurons from harm."
Low Testosterone Levels Found in Diabetic Young Men
Research shows that about a third of young men with type 2 diabetes have a problem with low testosterone levels. This can lead to more serious health problems such as impaired sexual function, reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, weak bones and increased risk of heart and vascular disease.