Potential roles of insulin and IGF-1 in Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.) Vol. 26; no. 8; pp. 404 - 406
• Main Authors: Gasparini, Laura, Xu, Huaxi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2003; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloidosis - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Humans; Insulin; Insulin - metabolism; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - metabolism; Medical sciences; Neurofibrillary Tangles - metabolism; Neurology; Phosphorylation; Signal Transduction; tau Proteins - metabolism; Pancreatic hormone; Nervous system diseases; Alzheimer disease; Review; Insulin like growth factor 1; Insulin; Cerebral disorder; Signal transduction; Anatomic pathology; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Biological effect; Age
• ISSN: 0166-2236; 1878-108X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0166-2236(03)00163-2

Aging is characterized by a significant decline of metabolic and hormonal functions, which often facilitates the onset of severe age-associated pathologies. One outstanding example of this is the reported association of deranged signaling by insulin and insulin-like-growth-factor 1 (IGF-1) with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent compelling biological data reveal effects of insulin and IGF-1 on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathology of AD. This review discusses available biological data that highlight the therapeutic potential of the insulin–IGF-1 signaling pathway in AD.