Open AccessInsulin resistance in the brain: A new therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Umegaki Hiroyuki
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of diabetes investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.089
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 2040-1124
pISSN - 2040-1116
DOI - 10.1111/jdi.12027
Subject(s) - medicine , dementia , disease , atrophy , pathological , neuroscience , population , alzheimer's disease , amyloid (mycology) , pathology , psychology , environmental health
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, accounting for more than 50% of cases at autopsy and in clinical series. The incidence of the disease doubles every 5 years after 65 years‐of‐age. With the aging of the population, the number of AD patients continues to increase. AD affects memory and other cognitive domains, leading to the subsequent deprivation of independence in daily life. The disease places a substantial burden not only on the sufferers themselves, but also on family members, and is responsible for a substantial economic cost to society. Existing treatments, however, only slow the progression of the symptoms of the disease. Furthermore, their efficacy does not extend to all people with AD, and benefits are not conveyed beyond an average of 6 months. Therefore, more disease‐modifying therapeutics are definitely required.