Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has developed an insulin-based nasal spray that has been shown to improve working memory and other mental capabilities in adults with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
A pilot study involving 60 adults with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's showed those given a 40-IU dose of detemir — a manufactured form of the hormone — for 21 days had significant improvement in their short-term ability to remember and process verbal and visual information than those who received a 20-IU dose or an inactive placebo.
Those with a genetic predisposition to developing Alzheimer's also scored better on memory tests after receiving the higher dose, according to the study published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
"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 lead researcher Suzanne Craft, a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest Baptist.
"We are also especially encouraged that we were able to improve memory for adults with [cognitive impairment] who have the [Alzheimer's] gene, as these patients are notoriously resistant to other therapies and interventions."
The study was funded by the National Institute of Aging and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
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