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New research suggests an insulin nasal spray could offer a fresh approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease.
The International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease heard a study involving 109 people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s found subjects treated with intranasal insulin showed improvements in some symptoms, such as memory, although other symptoms were unchanged.
A small subset of participants also exhibited a reduction in the amount of key Alzheimer’s proteins in their spinal fluid.
The Alzheimer’s Society commented: “There are 465,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in the UK yet we still have very few proven ways of lessening the effects of the disease. This latest research suggests insulin may improve certain symptoms such as memory.
“However, this is a very small preliminary study and we must be careful not to get carried away or expect to see an insulin-based treatment available anytime soon. One in three people over 65 will die with dementia. Much more research is needed to back up this latest study and to move us closer to establishing the causes and finding a cure for this devastating condition.'”
Copyright Press Association 2010
