The Caring Corner®
Is Alzheimer’s Disease the New Diabetes?
Recent research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggest linkages between Alzheimer’s and the inflammatory processes associated with diabetes.
The researchers observe that there are certain similarities, including inflammation and insulin resistance. One of insulin’s functions is to regulate delivery of glucose into cells to provide them with energy. When our bodies are insulin resistant, our ability to use sugars decreases resulting in higher blood sugar, higher body fat, decreased energy and a host of metabolic consequences.
As a result of these linkages of insulin deficiency and resistance, some researchers now call Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes”. One of the consequences of poor insulin signaling and resistance in the brain is increased development of tau protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease.
