Alzheimer’s Tracked Back To Higher Brain Sugar Levels
Alzheimer’s dementia sufferers, age 65 and older are currently 10% of the U.S. population, according to the Alzheimer Association.
As researchers work to find better ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease and delay its onset, they’ve found a possible connection between glucose, a form of sugar, in people’s brain.
Glucose metabolism provides the fuel for physiological brain function. The brain is the most energy-demanding organ. It uses approximately one-half of all the sugar energy in the body.
Alzheimer’s: Cure On The Horizon?
Finding a new way to combat this growing disease is critical. It is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association says more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease, and the number could rise to 16 million by 2050.
Scientists, supported by a NIH grant, recently found a connection between abnormalities in how the brain breaks down glucose and the severity of plaques and tangles in the brain, including the onset of outward symptoms. These connections could be targeted with new treatments to combat Alzheimer’s disease. While additional research is necessary, this is a promising direction for further investigation.