Alzheimer’s is a global epidemic. Fifty million people are affected worldwide. In addition, Parkinson’s disease, another neuro-degenerative disease, affects nearly ten million. The research being done on these two devastating diseases revolves around finding medications. Yet new scientific research suggests that metabolic health in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s could be part of the answer. Specifically, insulin resistance. Fixing these metabolic issues may lead to better treatments and prevention.
Psychology Today talks about where this new hope stems from. It discusses metabolic health and neuro-degenerative diseases. Changes in the brain have certainly been identified in both diseases. Beta-amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s. And the protein alpha-synuclein in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. Most of the research has been targeting these specific things. Yet as of now, attempts at creating cures have failed.
However, this does not mean all hope is gone. We often look solely at the microscope. But it’s important to take a step back and look at the broader picture. A large portion of Americans now have insulin resistance. This is known as pre-diabetes.
So, how does this relate to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s? In short, in both diseases brain cells are essentially dying. And in the brains of those with insulin resistance, a similar process is slowly occurring. Too much glucose and not enough insulin are entering the brain. The brain can’t turn glucose into adequate energy without sufficient insulin supply. Essentially, this excess of glucose is killing cells.
Surely, insulin resistance will not always lead to neuro-degenerative diseases. Yet, a recent study of 154 non-diabetic Parkinson’s patients found that over 58 percent of them had insulin resistance. Other research has been done on those who are insulin resistant and have Parkinson’s. Overall, they are likely to develop more severe symptoms, more quickly.
Of course, new medications are an important part of research. But awareness of the wide variety of potential causes is crucial. It’s never a “one size fits all” approach. Focusing only on finding cures is not always the answer. Prevention is just as important.