Alzheimer's disease found to be a diabetic disorder of the brain

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Northerner

Northerner

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Researchers at Tohoku University have found a promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease, by noticing a similarity in the way insulin signaling works in the brain and in the pancreas of diabetic patients.

"In the pancreas, the Kir6.2 channel blockade increases the insulin signaling, and insulin signaling decreases the blood glucose levels," says Dr. Shigeki Moriguchi. "In the brain, insulin signaling increases the acquisition of memory through CaM kinase II activation by Kir6.2 channel blockade."

The research group, led by Dr. Moriguchi and Professor Kohji Fukunaga of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, thus concluded that Alzheimer's disease can be described as a diabetic disorder of the brain.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161109111922.htm
 
Whatever the merits of this research, which is a bit shaky, I don't think it is right to post something which will, quite frankly, terrify most of the people on this forum. The main argument is a post hoc ergo propter hoc logical leap, but not everyone will see that.
 
I heard about this a couple of years ago. My brother in law has early onset Alzheimers. My sister started him on metformin to see if it would make a difference but it did not. Diabetics are told they are more at risk from getting heart attacks, strokes, amputations etc. so they are now saying, diabetics are also more at risk of getting Alzheimers. So why is it OK to mention amputations, strokes, etc. but not Alzheimers? Personally I am more terrified of having my legs amputated.

I believe the fact that Alzheimers was thought to be a kind of diabetes was on the BBC news some months ago.
 
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My mum has dementia (never been officially classified as Alzheimer's however) and is diabetic.

I refuse to be worried...I've too many other things that will do for me before I get that!
 
Good point, Lillian, though the evidence for the consequences you mention is rock solid. In my experience as a clinical doctor, I saw many of those problems you mention, but I was never aware of any increase in risk of dementia. This is a modern suggestion, but if there were a significant risk, it would surely by now have long been demonstrated in the statistics. Dementia is getting commoner, as is diabetes, but that is far from being a correlation.

My mum was diabetic, but my dad died demented.
 
I heard about this a few years ago on another peer help forum when I was caring for my mum who was in the final stages of mixed dementia. To be honest if there is a link I'm not too worried as their is nowt I can do about it, I know to some that may sound strange but that is just the way I am 🙂 I expect other may well be worried though.
 
What was that you said. On a serious note, I am less concerned about Alzheimer's than all the other complications.
 
My understanding of this relationship, certainly from what I have read in the past although not clear in this article. is that Alzheimer's is being seen as 'another' type of diabetes, rather than a consequence of having one of the more conventional types. So, more of a 'Type X' rather than it being a potential complication.
 
Northerner said:
My understanding of this relationship, certainly from what I have read in the past although not clear in this article. is that Alzheimer's is being seen as 'another' type of diabetes, rather than a consequence of having one of the more conventional types. So, more of a 'Type X' rather than it being a potential complication.
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I've heard this too Northener.
 
There's an analysis here (from 2008):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/

"Epidemiologic studies provide convincing evidence for a significant association between T2DM and MCI or dementia and furthermore suggest that T2DM is a significant risk factor for developing AD. However, those findings are not without controversy, and in a longitudinal survey, investigators found that although borderline diabetics had a significantly increased risk for future development of diabetes, dementia, or AD, the risk effects were independent rather than linked. What this means is that insulin resistance, i.e., impaired ability to respond to insulin stimulation, can vary among target organs and be present in just one or two organs and not in others, a phenomenon that could explain the lack of complete overlap between T2DM and AD. Correspondingly, the finding that obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 30) without T2DM produces a three-fold increase in risk for subsequently developing AD whereas overweight, but nonobese, subjects (BMI 25–30) experience a two-fold increase in risk for AD76 calls into question the specific effects of obesity and T2DM versus a yet unknown associated factor in relation to AD pathogenesis."
 
Ah - so they don't actually KNOW, then, Alan !

Bit like telling me the day after I was told I had T1 that they 'thought' maybe the birth control pill might cause it. You probably needed to tell me that when I was 18 then I replied - not now I'm 22 ! And seeing that being pregnant would have still been a far greater personal tragedy than diabetes would have - I'd still have taken em.

Still it might have had it's advantages - my mother might indeed never have spoken to me again ! LOL
 
Northerner said:
My understanding of this relationship, certainly from what I have read in the past although not clear in this article. is that Alzheimer's is being seen as 'another' type of diabetes, rather than a consequence of having one of the more conventional types. So, more of a 'Type X' rather than it being a potential complication.
Click to expand...

I haven't read the research (can't read too much online) but that was what I thought you meant, from the title of the thread and original post, so not scary at all. I think it's interesting - and if it's right it could lead to better treatment for Alzheimers, surely?

My Dad has what we think must be some form of dementia (he won't go to doctors so has no diagnosis at the moment) and I am finding that I can really empathise with him because a lot of his long-term symptoms are similar to the ones I have when I'm badly hypo. In fact, I have been wondering for some time (without having seen this research or anything about it) whether there might be a link with diabetes because his behaviour really does feel spookily familiar. The difference for me of course is that I recover as soon as I have glucose.
 
Who cares anyway? We won't have the time to get demented if Trump gets going on his foreign policy:confused:
 
We're all DOOMED, Mr Mainwaring! 😉

Anyway, back on topic. I remember reading about this in a past New Scientist issue. Maybe even a year ago.

Andy 🙂

p.s. I put everyone on warning. Any negative posts about Mr Trump or any other recent political event, that I see, will be met with a "We're all DOOMED" post from me. In the words of a much greater President. "The only thing that we have to fear, is fear itself".
 
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That statement wasn't true when it was said, and certainly isn't true now.🙂
 
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