Sweet memories

Everyone loves a sweet snack, but we all know that too much sugar can come with consequences. Type II diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar and insulin-resistance, is usually the first disease to come to mind. However, research has recently suggested that insulin-resistance may play a significant role in another major disease as well – Alzheimer’s disease[1]. It turns out that in addition to its well-known role in maintaining glucose homeostasis in periphery tissues, such as muscles or adipose, insulin is also very important for proper brain function as well. Thus, Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative conditions might arise if insulin-resistance occurs in brain tissues.

So how exactly does this work? While insulin’s effect on brain tissues is still being extensively studied, recent research has suggested that insulin does more than just help brain cells utilize glucose. In fact, insulin also helps clear out the neurotoxic proteins, AB plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles, that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease[2]. Additionally, insulin helps moderate inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress[3]. Interestingly, more insulin receptors are found in the areas of the brain that contribute to cognition and memory[4]. Therefore, brains with insulin-resistance may face lots of deficiencies, contributing to neurodegenerative conditions and consequential memory loss. 

While scientists are still figuring out the precise relationships between diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, one thing is for sure: a healthy lifestyle devoid of insulin troubles will protect your body and your mind. While it’s fine to indulge in an occasional sugary treat, remember that you can still make sweet memories without having too much sugar…

1. Ahmed, S., Mahmood, Z. & Zahid, S. Linking insulin with Alzheimer’s disease: emergence as type III diabetes. Neurol Sci 36, 1763–1769 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-015-2352-5

2. Liu F, Iqbal K, Grundke-Iqbal I, Hart GW, Gong C-X (2004) O-GlcNAcylation regulates phosphorylation of tau: a mechanism involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:10804–10809

3. Nguyen, T.T., Ta, Q.T.H., Nguyen, T.T.D. et al. Role of Insulin Resistance in the Alzheimer's Disease Progression.Neurochem Res 45, 1481–1491 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-020-03031-0

4. Syed Obaidur Rahman, Bibhu Prasad Panda, Suhel Parvez, Madhu Kaundal, Salman Hussain, Mohd. Akhtar, Abul Kalam Najmi. Neuroprotective role of astaxanthin in hippocampal insulin resistance induced by Aβ peptides in animal model of Alzheimer’s disease. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherap, Volume 110, 47-58, 2019