title: Effects of hyperglycemia on memory and hormone levels in dementia of the Alzheimer type: a longitudinal study.
abstract: The effect of hyperglycemia on hormone levels, metabolite levels, and memory performance was examined in 22 subjects with very mild and mild probable dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and in 12 normal elderly adults. Subjects were tested in 3 plasma glucose conditions (fasting baseline, 175 mg/dl, and 225 mg/dl) at initial and 18-month follow-up sessions. Initially, adults with very mild DAT showed memory facilitation and elevations in plasma insulin in the 225-mg/dl glucose condition relative to baseline. At follow-up, very mild DAT patients whose dementia had progressed showed significant decreases in insulin and hyperglycemic memory facilitation. Changes in basal insulin and cortisol levels over time were correlated with memory changes for DAT subjects. These results suggest that glucoregulatory abnormalities may contribute to the pathophysiology of DAT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Dagogo-Jack
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Wiethop
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Nevins
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleischman
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Newcomer
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Cryer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005934:Glucagon; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin