Neurológia pre prax 2/2012

Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Both the epidemiological data and results of experimental works have shown tight relations of the insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), cognitive disturbances and sporadic form of Alzheimer´s disease. Plethora of events, standing behind these relations, is associated with an abnormal brain glucose metabolism. Some authors call Alzheimer‘s disease, „type 3 diabetes mellitus“. In the article, an outline is given on the mechanisms, connecting both the insulin resistance and DM2 with the cognitive disturbances or dementia. Some new potential possibilities of the favourable influencing of the sporadic form of Alzheimer´s disease are also mentioned. The research in the field could help to find new biological markers of the Alzheimer´s disease, recognition of the new treatment targets and of new preventive and treatment modalities of this serious disorder.

Keywords: sporadic form of Alzheimer´s disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance.