In the Chicago Tribune today, there's an article stating that researchers have found that the toxins that cause alzheimer's destroy or slow down the insulin receptors in the brain. They've proven this apparently.
Search Chicago Tribune Alzheimer's and read the article. It was in the November 27th paper. THIS IS AMAZING! If this is true, it is a MAJOR breakthrough!

Love, Barb

PS Angelbear, if you read this, hopefully you can decifer some of the medical jargon so that we laypersons can better understand. Thanks!

Barb, I heard this on the TV news. It is amazing - but does this mean that AD is a type of diabetes? My Mom never had any diabetic symptoms at all, neither did Bill's MIL, who had Azheimers. Or is it just that it works somewhat like diabetes?

I will try to find and understand the article!

Love,

Martha

If I read the article right it is not a general diabetes but diabetes of the brain only. Insulin is produced in the brain as well as the pancreas. Scientist have known the number of insulin receptor in the brain decreases as ALZ progresses. There is as much as an 80% reduction in insulin receptors in the advanced ALZ bain. This team of doctors figured out what happens to them.

For a message to get from one neuron to another it has to flow down an axon, across a space called a synapse, and then to the dendrites of the next neuron. When all is working the insulin binds to insulin receptors on the dendrites at the synapse. This enables to nerve cells to survive, learning to take place, and memories to form.

What these researchers found was that the toxin protein ADDL (this is what causes the plaque clusters) in the brains of ALZ patients binds to the dendrites and prevents insulin receptors from gathering on the dendrites. Instead the insulin receptors are in the cell bodies where the insulin can't get to them. This causes the cell to become insulin resistent. It is the lack of insulin that prevents the memories from being made. This is the missing link in the chemistry and physiology of how ALZ develops. It brings together the ADDL plaque and the insulin resistance and a better understanding of the disease.

There has always been a connection, though unexplained, between general diabetes and ALZ. More than 65% of ALZ patients also have diabetes. This explains the brain speficit diabetes related to ALZ. It also gives promise of treatment, even disease reversal, by treating ALZ as we do type II diabetes.

I find that all encouraging and fascinating....

Love, Deb

Can't explain it any better than that !!

Thanks Deb!

Cheers

I just had a thought - what if it has something to do with the MEDICINE that is given to folks with diabetes?? Just a thought.

From what I have read it doesn't have anything to do with medication given for other types of diabetes. That could actually be beneficial rather than detrimental.... in my opinion for what that is worth. The overactive protein that forms the ADDL is the problem. It is this plaque from the ADDL that causes the insulin receptors to disappear. If there are no receptors then the insulin cannot bond and the nerve transmittal is interrupted. They just need to find a way to get the insulin where it needs to be..... which is what Diabetic medication does.

My interest comes from the fact that I knew I had a problem but delayed going to the doctor because I knew how much time and energy my parents were taking. A week after Mom and Dad were placed in Assisted Living I was diagnosed with borderline type II diabetes. My Mom is also borderline type II diabetic. Right now I am losing the weight I gained and eating healthy while sticking my finger multiple times a day. It's been a little over 2 months and I have it almost back under control. It is amazing what stress will do to you!! I am a stress eater.

Love, Deb

Thank you so much, Deb, for explaining!
My dad took pills for borderline diabetes several years ago but stopped when he lost weight and his blood sugar went back to normal.
But he still does eat a lot of sweets if they're around.
My MIL is showing signs of mid stage AD and she has full blown diabetes. No one in her family wants to get her tested for AD because they're afraid and in denial. Her brother is in the mid-late stages of dementia now.
This sounds like such a MAJOR breakthrough! I'm so exited about this!

Love, Barb