Brain insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review
Luís Jesuíno de Oliveira Andrade, Luís Matos de Oliveira, Alcina Maria Vinhaes Bittencourt, Letícia Góes de Carvalho Lourenço, Gabriela Correia Matos de Oliveira
Abstract
The disability of cells to react to insulin, causing glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia, is referred to as insulin resistance. This clinical condition, which has been well-researched in organs such as adipose tissue, muscle, and liver, has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) when it occurs in the brain. Objective: The authors aimed to gather data from the current literature on brain insulin resistance (BIR) and its likely repercussions on neurodegenerative disorders, more specifically AD, through a systematic review. Methods: , employing the descriptors: "insulin resistance", "brain insulin resistance", "Alzheimer's disease", "neurodegeneration", and "cognition". The authors focused their search on English-language studies published between 2000 and 2023 that investigated the influence of BIR on neurodegenerative disorders or offered insights into BIR's underlying mechanisms. Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Results: The results indicate that BIR is a phenomenon observed in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. Studies suggest that impaired glucose utilization and uptake, reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and synaptic plasticity changes caused by BIR are linked to cognitive problems. However, conflicting results were observed regarding the association between AD and BIR, with some studies suggesting no association. Conclusion: Based on the evaluated studies, it can be concluded that the association between AD and BIR remains inconclusive, and additional research is needed to elucidate this relationship.