Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for vascular dementia. DM alters insulin transport across blood-brain barrier affecting perfusion and neuronal function. Intranasal administration enables to effectively deliver insulin to the brain. Clinical studies demonstrated improvement of cognitive function and memory in healthy and cognitively impaired people. Our goal is to determine the acute effects of intranasal insulin on regional perfusion and cognition in older diabetic adults. We propose a pilot study to examine the effects of a single dose of intranasal insulin on regional vasoreactivity and cognitive functions in 30 subjects with T2DM and 30 healthy controls >50 years old using a double blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over design.
Aim 1 : We will determine the acute effects of a single 40-IU dose of intranasal insulin vs. placebo on regional perfusion and vasoreactivity to CO2 challenge measured by 3-D continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL) MRI at 3 Tesla in the control and diabetic groups. We will use transcranial Doppler to determine effects on intranasal insulin vs. placebo on dynamic autoregulation based on measurements of beat-to-beat pressure-flow velocity relationship.
Aim 2 : We will determine whether intranasal insulin improves cognitive functioning including attention, memory and executive function in older diabetic patients as compared with placebo and the control group. This translational study will address an important area about the effects of intranasal insulin on cerebral blood flow regulation and cognition in older diabetic people that has not been studied. Intranasal insulin administration may provide a novel therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of microvascular disease and cerebrovascular complications of T2DM. If successful, this approach may have significant impact on clinical management of large population of older adults with T2DM.
Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for both large and small vessel atherosclerosis, strokes, and vascular dementia. This pilot study aims to determine the efficacy of intranasal insulin to improve cerebral vasoreactivity and to explore the effects on cognitive function in older diabetic adults. If proven effective, intranasal insulin may become a new preventive and therapeutic target for treatment of cerebromicrovascular disease in older diabetic patients.
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