In depth article. Why Alzheimer's is called `type 3 diabetes'

[snagglepuss]

snip

Not long ago, it was thought that there was no connection between insulin and the brain, that the brain was insulin-insensitive," said William Klein, a professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University in Illinois.

"But we now know that's not the case. What's surprising everyone is that it has a specialized function, tied to learning and memory."

snip

Studies have shown that diabetics have a 30 to 65 per cent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

snip

Either the brain isn't producing enough insulin, which is crucial for memory formation, like Type 1 or juvenile diabetes, or the brain has become insulin-resistant, like Type 2 diabetes.

"In Alzheimer's, brains aren't using glucose properly," Diamond said


http://www.healthzone.ca/health/yourhealth/agingwell/article/752820--why-alzheimer-s-is-called-type-3-diabetes

[Democrat_in_Houston]

1. I think I'm going find a rope.

[Warpy]

2. That certainly explains my mother's dementia

although we could bring her into the present when the occasion called for it, like participating in decisions about her own care. It was usually far kinder to leave her wandering in her past. I remember her rambling on about one branch of the extended family and she snapped to for a second, pinned me with a piercing look and said "My god. You were right. They were all crazy!" She was a poorly controlled type II diabetic who wasn't a candidate for insulin because she kept hunger striking when she'd get a wild hair. That insulin resistance contributed to the dementia is a real possibility.

While insulin might have helped her to stay in the here and now, I'm not convinced that was really the best thing for her given her multiple illnesses.

[frazzled]

5. It doesn't explain the dementia and Alzheimer's in my family

I should say, my husband's family (my own parents, aged 93 and 84, are both diabetics and both with current excellent mental accuity, thank goodness). Neither my husband's aunt, who had full-fledged Alzheimer's, and his recently deceased mother, who had pretty pronounced dementia the last few years of her life, had any amount of diabetes.

I'm not convinced by these "30% great risk" studies. It's statistically insignificant. (10% of adults over 65 risk Alzheimer's).

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Wow. This is huge, if it bears out.

Maybe it is not just anecdotal that there has been a huge rise in Alzheimers in the last couple decades - a lot of people claim it was just under-diagnosed, not recognized, or thought just a natural part of aging so nobody paid much attention. But this would indicate a rise in Alzheimers should parallel the rise in diabetes over the same time period which is well documented.

Could lead to entirely new treatments.

[cutlassmama]

4. VERY interesting article. Thanks for posting it.