Study: Insulin May Impair Ability of Older Alzheimer Patients to Purge Beta Amyloid

A new study may offer clues into how insulin affects the beta amyloid protein, which forms the plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

University of Washington researchers reported in the journal Neurology on a small trial in which they gave insulin to 16 healthy seniors and then measured levels of beta amyloid. At separate times, they gave the same subjects a placebo and measure the beta amyloid level.

Interestingly, the insulin infusion did not increase the beta amyloid level of the younger participants in the study and actually improved their memory performance. But older participants had an increase in beta amyloid level and showed a decline in memory skills.

These findings may suggest that age -- the leading risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease -- may affect the body's response to insulin and impair the ability of older Alzheimer patients to purge beta amyloid protein from their brains, the researchers concluded.

Other sources: Neurology