Type 2 Diabetes, a Precursor to Alzheimer’s Disease

Many people are aware of the connection between insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. New research presented in the article, Possible Implications of insulin resistance and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis presents a link between insulin resistance, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. When most people think of insulin, they think of blood glucose levels. This is a great association because insulin is a hormone released into the body which tells the body to absorb glucose when its levels are high, for example right after a meal. Before reading this article, I was unaware that insulin played any role in the brain. Recent studies have shown that insulin is produced in the brain and can have intense effects in the central nervous system. A specific receptor, IGF-1, was found in the brain that responds to insulin and can help regulate important neurological functions such as: energy homeostasis, survival of neurons, longevity, and learning/memory.
Alzheimer’s disease is a condition characterized by neurological degradation and memory loss. Just like insulin resistance is they “key word” to diabetes, accumulation of amyloid-Beta plaques in the brain is the “key word” to Alzheimer’s disease.  Amyloid-Beta (AB) plaques form in the brain from the aggregation from AB proteins which are formed from the processing of amyloid precursor proteins (APP). APPs are found in membranes of the brain, but their natural function is still unknown. When they are cut with specific enzymes, AB proteins are formed. Abnormal folding of these proteins leads to their aggregation, which leads to brain deterioration and Alzheimer’s disease. AB plaques in the brain lead to a high level of inflammation in the brain which also contributes to the negative symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
The connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease may not seem obvious, but one important link between the two is inflammation. Brain inflammation plays a large role in Alzheimer’s disease and is key in its pathology. The connection between insulin and Alzheimer’s is made because in the periphery, insulin plays an important role in inflammatory responses. Low does of insulin have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects but high levels of insulin may increase inflammation and also activate oxidative stress (another factor in Alzheimer’s disease).
In summary, Alzheimer’s disease is associated with AB plaques, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Diabetes is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin in the brain is associated with regulation of inflammation. When these three concepts are connected, it leads to scary realities for the American public.
Type 2 diabetes is quickly infiltrating the American public at a younger and younger age. People of all ages are developing diabetes. If diabetes is a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, and people are getting diabetes at younger age, this could lead to the onset of age of Alzheimer’s disease being lowered. This could be a huge problem for society. Many people with Alzheimer’s experience such severe memory loss that they cannot even recognize their own family members. Most people with Alzheimer’s disease are at an age where they are retired, have grown children, and are able to live in a facility that is able to accommodate their needs. But if people are to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 50 years old because they contracted diabetes at a young age, the disease would be more taxing on their life. Most 50 year old people still have job and still have dependent children. Having a disease which so severely impacts memory would not make it easy to hold down a stable job or raise children. Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t necessarily quickly end a person’s life. Living with Alzheimer’s disease for 25 plus years would be extremely difficult for both the individual and their family.
Now that this research has come up, it is more than ever necessary to change the habits of the American public. Prevention of diabetes is even more important now that it is clear that prevention, or at least delay, of diabetes can prevent, or at least prolong, Alzheimer’s disease. One main way the American public should react to this article is with a change in diet. Unhealthy, sugary foods should be minimized in the American diet and foods high in antioxidants should replace them. Nutrition is an important factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. Increased nutritional values in the diets of Americans have been shown to help prevent type 2 diabetes. American health care occasionally struggles with preventative health care, but it is integral that people realize what kinds of negative problems can occur due to poor nutrition: type 2 diabetes, which recently has been identified as a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.