Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSInsulin spray to treat Alzheimer's
Alzheimer’s disease could be treated with an insulin nasal spray, according to new research.
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The findings presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) show that the intranasal insulin spray enhances the memory of patients with the condition.
Around 100 people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease took part in the study, which reported improvements in some areas of Alzheimer’s including memory but showed no effect in others.
The researchers also saw a reduction in the amount of key Alzheimer’s proteins when they tested the spinal fluid of a small subset of participants.
Alzheimer’s Society said: “There are 465,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in the UK yet we still have very few proven ways of lessening the effects of the disease. This latest research suggests insulin may improve certain symptoms such as memory.
“However, this is a very small preliminary study and we must be careful not to get carried away or expect to see an insulin-based treatment available anytime soon. One in three people over 65 will die with dementia. Much more research is needed to back up this latest study and to move us closer to establishing the causes and finding a cure for this devastating condition.”
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