Nasal Spray May Improve Cognition in Alzheimer’s Patients
An insulin dose, delivered via nasal spray, may help improve working memory and other mental capabilities in adults with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a pilot study.
In the study, 60 adults who were diagnosed with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild to moderate AD, were randomly selected to receive either 40 IU doses of insulin detemir, 20 IU doses, or placebo via nasal spray. The insulin detemir is a manufactured form of the hormone.
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All 60 adults who completed the 21-day treatment of the 40 IU dose showed significant improvements in their short-term memory and ability to process verbal and visual information as compared to the other participants.
Furthermore, adults who were treated with the 40 IU dose and also carried the APOE-e4 gene (risk factor for AD) noted higher memory scores than the other two groups. Non-carriers of the gene across all 3 other groups had significantly lower scores.
“The study provides preliminary evidence that insulin detemir can provide effective treatment for people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s-related dementia similar to our previous work with regular insulin,” said Suzanne Craft, PhD, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest Baptist and lead author of the study.
—Pooja Shah
References:
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Nasal spray with insulin equivalent shows promise as treatment for adults with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s dementia [press release]. January 8, 2015. www.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/Nasal_Spray_with_Insulin_Equivalent_Shows_Promise_as_Treatment_for_Adults_with_Mild_Cognitive_Impairment_Alzheimers_Dementia.htm. Accessed January 9, 2015.
- Claxton A, Baker L, Hanson A, et al. Long-acting intranasal insulin detemir improves cognition for adults with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease dementia. J Alzheimers Dis. 2015 Nov 5 [epub ahead of print].