Low levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor 3 binding protein (IGFBP-3) may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease in men, but not in women, according to the latest research in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 are polypeptides responsible i.a. for human growth processes. They play an important role in development during childhood, and their levels decline with age. It has been believed for some time that these proteins may be related to longevity.
Recent research by scientists from France has shown that IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may also play a role in the development or prevention (depending on the concentration) of the main pathological processes accompanying Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at the Broca Hospital in Paris analyzed the relationship between serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels and cognitive impairment. The experiment included 694 elderly people: 218 men and 476 women. Of all study participants, 481 suffered from memory problems, ranging from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. It turned out that the concentrations of both proteins in the blood serum of men from this group were reduced and in some way were associated with a decline in their cognitive abilities. Such regularity was not noted in women.
Currently, medicine does not yet know an effective cure for Alzheimer’s, so great emphasis is placed on searching for various factors that could bring us closer to its invention, says Dr. Emmanuelle Duron, the lead author of the study. – Our research shows the possible usefulness of IGF-1 in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in its early stages.
In this experiment, we have shown that there is certainly a relationship between the proteins studied and Alzheimer’s disease, but we have yet to prove a simple cause-and-effect relationship, adds Duron. ‘However, it can be seen that it is worth looking at this issue in more detail and doing more research to see if fluctuations in IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels predispose to cognitive decline depending on gender.’ (PAP)
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