About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Recent studies have shown up to a four times increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, which has led some to boldly label AD as “Type 3 Diabetes”. Why this happens is unclear, but is likely rooted in the abnormal functioning of insulin in the brain. The underlying basis of AD is a loss of connectivity between nerve cells in the brain, and insulin signaling is vital to maintaining healthy brain connections. Therefore, the molecules responsible for controlling insulin signaling in the brain become crucial in understanding and preventing memory loss in AD patients.

The central goal of this project is to determine whether blood levels and activity of these insulin-regulating molecules can predict the size of memory areas in the brain of healthy individuals, those with mild memory loss, and in AD patients. We can ultimately use this knowledge to develop a simple diagnostic test to predict memory loss and AD. This will in turn facilitate the development of new medications to prevent, stop, or even reverse AD.

What is the significance of this project?

Profound memory loss and cognitive decline constantly challenge the lives of AD patients, but the most tragic aspect is the loss of independence in performing daily activities and the loss of what makes each person “human.” With only four medications currently approved to treat AD symptoms, there is no known cure or way to reverse brain injury and memory loss over time. Additionally, there is no reliable test outside of a complex neurologic evaluation to clinically identify AD, and an exact diagnosis can only be achieved with brain tissue examination.

Because of this, it is crucial that we continue the search for new clues and connections that provide insight into how to better detect and treat the disease. Our project explores the novel relationship between AD and Type 2 Diabetes in order to develop a simple and reliable test and treatment for AD.

What are the goals of the project?

We are a private entity conducting translational and clinical neuroscience research involving neurodegenerative diseases. We operate without access to traditional funding from grant agencies or other sources available to public academic institutions. Being at a disadvantage, we all volunteer time and often put up our own personal funds to accomplish research goals, but are unable to do this for large-scale projects.

In this study, we will investigate whether blood levels and/or activity of insulin-regulating molecules predicts worsening of memory function and other features of AD. Funds will be used to cover the cost of much-needed specialized equipment, volumetric MRI scans, and assays to measure blood levels and activity of target molecules related to diabetes and AD. The data obtained from this preliminary study will enable us to pursue additional funding from public or private sources in order to continue our research.

We will provide regular updates on the progress of our research for our supporters and the general public, through the Labs Notes section of our page. We encourage individuals to get as involved as possible with our efforts. All donations will be tax-deductible through our partner, the San Diego Dementia Consortium. Please help us spread the word about our important project!