Preventing cognitive decline from intranasal insulin?
One taken through the nose Insulin-Spray has been shown to improve cognitive performance in people with type 2 diabetes. The intranasal insulin could therefore Typ-2-Diabetes and possibly also in people without diabetes Treatment of cognitive decline be used.
In a new study involving experts from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that a intranasal administration of insulin (INI) improves executive functioning and verbal memory in people with type 2 diabetes. The study results were published in the “Journal of Neurology” released.
Increased risk of cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes
Insulin plays an important role in the brain and cognitive functions. at Typ-2-Diabetes the body does not produce enough insulin, increasing the risk for Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline increases, the researchers explain.
The team assessed walking speed, attention, memory, executive functions and mood in 223 participants aged 50 to 85, some with diabetes.
Insulin was administered through the nose
Half of the participants with diabetes (n=51) and half of the participants without diabetes (n=58) were Insulin treats that once a day intranasally administered via an electronic nebulizer.
The remaining participants only received an inactive one Placebo in form of a sterile saline solutionwhich was also administered through the nose, the team reports.
Walking speed important clinical indicator
„Walking speed is an important clinical predictor of well-being in older people, correlating with cognitive decline, hospitalization, disability, and death‘ explains the author of the study Dr. Vera Novak of the Harvard Medical School in a press release.
The expert adds that at the beginning of the study, the participating people with diabetes walked slower and a worse cognitive performance compared to healthy people, which served as the clinical reference for the normal aging population in the study.
Faster walking speed at 24 weeks
After a treatment period of 24 weeks, the participants with diabetes who were treated with the nasal spray showed a faster walking speedthan people who had only received a placebo.
Other benefits of intranasal insulin
In addition, participants with diabetes had increased cerebral blood flow in the frontal lobe, lower plasma insulin levels and less insulin resistance than people in the placebo group, the researchers report.
In people without diabetes, treatment with the insulin spray also has the decision making and the verbal memory improved.
What were the benefits of the treatment?
Taken together, the participants treated with insulin, both with and without diabetes, showed a faster gait as well as better executive functions and a better memoryaccording to the researchers.
According to the research team, the most notable improvements in decision-making and verbal memory were seen in people with prediabetes.
Early intervention to combat dementia
„The consistency of the trends in the data showing better walking speed and cognition performance in participants treated with INI, particularly those with prediabetes, has major implications for possible early intervention with INI in this population to reduce the progression of dementia prevent or slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s disease“, emphasizes the author of the study Dr. Long Ngo.
Treatment had no significant side effects
No serious or moderate adverse events occurred during the current study. Treatment with intranasal insulin was also safe in people with type 2 diabetes who had subcutaneous insulin were treated, the team said.
Intranasal insulin should now be evaluated in further studies for its potential benefit in the treatment of type 2 diabetes as well age-related functional impairment be tested, the researchers sum up. (as)
Author and source information
This text corresponds to the specifications of medical specialist literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical professionals.
Sources:
- Vera Novak, Christos S. Mantzoros, Peter Novak, Regina McGlinchey, Weiying Dai, et al.: MemAID: Memory advancement with intranasal insulin vs. placebo in type 2 diabetes and control participants: a randomized clinical trial; in: Journal of Neurology (veröffentlicht 28.04.2022), Journal of Neurology
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: Insulin spray improved gait, cognitive function in patients with and without type 2 diabetes, clinical trial shows (veröffentlicht 29.04.2022), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Important NOTE:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. He can not substitute a visit at the doctor.