19/11/2013
Type 2 diabetics are particularly at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's. With the intranasal administration of insulin, US researchers hope to have found a treatment to improve cognitive function. The results of the pilot study were published in "Diabetes Care".
Fifteen type 2 diabetics and 14 healthy adults (average age 62) took part in a study at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Each person was administered two doses of intranasal insulin or saline. Subsequently, their brain function was measured using various tests.
"We observed in both the healthy subjects and the patients with diabetes that there was an improvement in both verbal learning and visual-spatial learning and memory after they received the insulin," explained lead author Vera Novak. These improvements were based on the brain's vascular function.
The findings provide evidence that intranasal insulin appears safe for diabetics and does not lead to low sugar levels, said Novak. But larger and longer studies still need to be carried out.
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