viernes, 16 de septiembre de 2011

NIH-supported pilot trial of insulin nasal-spray for Alzheimer’s yields promising results (Media Availability)

NIH-supported pilot trial of insulin nasal-spray for Alzheimer’s yields promising results (Media Availability)

For Immediate Release
Monday, September 12, 2011

Contact:
Peggy Vaughn
(301) 496-1752
nianews3@mail.nih.gov

WHAT: Results of a pilot clinical trial show a nasal-spray form of insulin delayed memory loss and preserved cognition in people with cognitive deficits that range from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle led the trial, which was sponsored in large part by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Previous research suggests that insulin abnormalities contribute to Alzheimer’s pathophysiology. Researchers suspected that restoring normal insulin function in the brain may provide cognitive benefit and slow disease progression. A nasal spray delivered insulin quickly and directly to the brain and does not result in harmful side effects, such as increased peripheral insulin levels.
The trial included 104 adults with either amnestic MCI—in which people have memory loss and may progress to Alzheimer’s—and those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease dementia. They received 20 IU (international units) of insulin, 40 IU of insulin or a saline placebo, all administered through a nasal drug delivery device for 4 months. Memory, cognition and functional ability were measured before and after treatment. A subset of participants also received lumbar punctures to test cerebrospinal fluid and brain scans before and after treatment.
Treatment with 20 IU of intranasal insulin improved memory and both doses of insulin preserved general cognition and functional ability. These results point out the need for larger trials of insulin nasal-spray therapy to further test its effectiveness in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
ARTICLE: “Intranasal Insulin Therapy for Alzheimer Disease and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Clinical Trial” by Craft, Suzanne, et al. Archives of Neurology. Published online September 12, 2011.
SPOKESPERSON: Laurie Ryan, Ph.D., Program Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials, Division of Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, is available to discuss the article.
CONTACT: To schedule interviews, contact Peggy Vaughn in the NIA Office of Communications and Public Liaison, (301) 496-1752, nianews3@mail.nih.gov.
The National Institute on Aging leads the federal government effort conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The NIA provides information on age-related cognitive change and neurodegenerative disease specifically at its Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers For more on health and on aging generally, go to www.nia.nih.gov. To sign up for e-mail alerts about new findings or publications, please visit either website.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH-supported pilot trial of insulin nasal-spray for Alzheimer’s yields promising results (Media Availability): - Enviado mediante la barra Google

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