Many researchers have concluded in past studies that people with Alzheimer’s have reduced levels of insulin in their brain, which is even noticeable in the earliest stages. Now U.S. researchers are making progress with these findings, as they have been working on a study where patients who have early forms of Alzheimer’s disease inhale insulin through their noses. The findings show that those patients in the study who received the insulin treatment for four months during their Alzheimer’s care had improved memory recall when tested. Dr. Suzanne Craft of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington in Seattle, feels that the results of this insulin study should merit additional research into the treatment for Alzheimer’s.
Researchers across the globe are working to improve treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, which affects over 25 million people worldwide. The disease causes incurable deterioration of the brain and is ultimately fatal. Hopefully the recent work by Craft and her team on the effects of insulin delivered directly to the brain will spur other researchers to further the work. At this time the treatment is not ready to be used in mass scale with patients, as Craft stated “Four months is rather short for a treatment study, but if longer studies show this to be a safe and beneficial treatment, I could see it being something that patients might want to try.” Each year more people are affected with Alzheimer’s disease, and finding proper treatments soon is key to helping future generations combat the disease.
