[olsen]

Insulin linked to brain diseases


The brain of people affected by Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease is less sensitive to insulin. Insulin blocks the removal of polysialic acid, a substance that must be removed for brain cells to connect properly and form synapses.

The results from a study... hold important clues into why there is less plasticity in brains affected by Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and links to insulin resistance and diabetes.

...(findings are) interesting because it is well known that in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease the brain is less sensitive to insulin, he says.
“In our studies in cells the insulin blocks the removal of polysialic acid and therefore the cell cannot connect properly and form synapses with other nearby cells.”
“This may hold major clues to why there is less plasticity in brains affected by Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease in adults as well as helping to unlock the secrets of how stem cells migrate during development of the brain”, says Dr C

http://sciencealert.com.au/news/20131807-24589.html