For all of the Grey’s Anatomy fans out there, in season 9 we discover that Meredith does in fact carry the gene for Alzheimer’s—inherited from her mother. The discovery is dire.
And while we were reassured by McDreamy’s consoling of Meredith—in that genes don’t determine our fates—the fact of the matter is Meredith is at risk for this detrimental disease.
It is also likely that an increasing number of our population is at risk. In this week’s research, our class found links to insulin intolerance and the development of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
With type II diabetes diagnoses on the rise, this increased insulin intolerance could lead to a rise in Alzheimer’s Disease diagnoses in the coming years.
This makes the study of AD imperative, and the search for treatments, as well as preventative measures all the more a priority.
The good news? Our understanding of the chemical underpinnings of the disease are increasing, and the research we have delved into seems to suggest we might be on the brink of finding the true root of the problem.
The Importance of Insulin
Recent research has shown the importance of insulin in the brain. Insulin naturally crosses the blood brain barrier and regulates many important functions in neurons.
When a person experiences insulin resistance, this could result in less of the vital insulin signaling functions in the brain, leading to memory impairment and AD development.
Decreased insulin signaling also leads to increased tau phosphorylation. Tau is an enzyme in the brain that’s normal functioning is important for microtubule structure in axons of neurons. When phosphorylated, tau’s actions are inhibited—thus creating issues with axon signaling.
Phosphorylated tau protein combines and aggregates into plaques or neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). These NFTs have been major signs of AD for many years and were originally thought to be the cause of AD.
Thus, the new found link between tau and insulin signaling marks the continued uncovering of the AD pathology.
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
With all this good news, we could almost leap for joy for Meredith! If she avoids Type II Diabetes she will be in the clear!
However, although scientists are close to unveiling the root of the cause, insulin resistance has not been proven to be the sole culprit of AD development—alas, we cannot celebrate for Meredith quite yet.
While insulin resistance does not help your chances for avoiding AD, there is also a second piece to the puzzle—this being AβOs. These oxidative stress agents are also thought to cause AD.
The AβO molecule induces stress on neurons of the brain, resulting in less insulin signaling, which perpetuates stress, which leads to kinase stress response, which increases more AβO formation, which begins the cycle again.
The question becomes: Which came first, the AβOs or the insulin resistance?
(#artstracts)
It could be that either/or could lead to AD, and that because one influences the other, a bad combination of the two could lead to the same result.
For example, say Meredith Grey avoids the junk food and does not develop insulin resistance via type II diabetes. She is still predisposed genetically, and she has a stressful job. The stressful job of being a surgeon could lead to an increase in AβO production, which could lead to insulin resistance in the brain, which would cause stress, and start up the AD development cycle.
Or, for example, say Meredith does hit the junk food hard. She develops type II diabetes, becoming insulin resistant. This insulin resistance is experienced in her brain as well as the rest of her body, and this begins putting stress on her neurons. The neurons respond with stress kinases, which lead to AβO production, which begins the cycle of AD development.
Either way, AD becomes the issue, and this is where the research lies.
If this is truly good news for Meredith or not is surely debatable. However, the research is showing more promising answers to our questions of the root of AD development.
The hope is that if we can get to the root, we can find a treatment for this detrimental disease.
If we can find a treatment, then surely that will be good news for Meredith. But until then, we’ll just hope she relaxes, exercises, and avoids the junk food.
