Simple insulin resistance test may also predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients

Medical Xpress / European Academy of Neurology / Alzheimer's & Dementia ^ | June 22, 2025 | Alessandro Padovani et al

[ConservativeMind]

Insulin resistance detected by routine triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index can flag people with early Alzheimer's who are four times more likely to present rapid cognitive decline, according to research.

Neurologists reviewed records of 315 non-diabetic patients with cognitive deficits, including 200 with biologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease. All subjects underwent an assessment of insulin resistance using the TyG index and a clinical follow-up of three years.

When patients were divided according to the TyG index, those in the highest third of the Mild Cognitive Impairment AD subgroup deteriorated far more quickly than their lower-TyG peers, losing >2.5 points on the Mini Mental State Examination per year (hazard ratio 4.08, 95% CI, 1.06–15.73). No such link appeared in the non-AD cohort.

"Once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, families always ask how fast it will progress," said lead investigator Dr. Bianca Gumina.

While insulin resistance has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease, its role in how quickly the condition progresses has received less attention. This study aimed to fill that gap by focusing on its impact during the prodromal mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, when patients follow highly variable trajectories.

The researchers used the TyG index, which offers a low-cost, routinely available surrogate for insulin resistance, to explore whether metabolic dysfunction could help predict the pace of cognitive decline after diagnosis.

In AD specifically, insulin resistance is believed to impair neuronal glucose uptake, promote amyloid accumulation, disrupt the blood–brain barrier, and fuel inflammation—pathways that are less relevant or differently regulated in other neurodegenerative diseases.

"We were surprised to see the effect only in the Alzheimer's spectrum and not in other neurodegenerative diseases," Dr. Gumina notes. "It suggests a disease-specific vulnerability to metabolic stress during the prodromal window, when interventions may still change the trajectory."

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: alzheimers; insulin; insulinresistance; test

[ConservativeMind]

This is easy to get medical information.

It tells me that Alzheimer’s is heavily influenced by insulin resistance and this condition is mostly preventable.

[ConservativeMind]

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[ProtectOurFreedom]

Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) Index

The TyG Index is a marker for insulin resistance, calculated using fasting triglyceride and glucose levels.

Formula:

TyG Index = ln [ (Triglycerides x Fasting Glucose) / 2 ]

Where:

• Triglycerides are in mg/dL
• Fasting Glucose is in mg/dL
• ln is the natural logarithm

Note: Ensure measurements are in mg/dL. Convert units if necessary (e.g., from mmol/L).

• Good (Low Risk): TyG less than 8.0
• Medium (Moderate Risk): TyG 8.0 to 8.8
• Bad (High Risk): TyG greater than 8.8

Notes:

• Ranges vary by population and study.
• Use mg/dL for triglycerides and glucose.
• Consult a doctor for personal advice.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I have also heard that being diagnosed with cognitive decline accelerates cognitive decline.

It’s one of those better-not-to-know things.

[Honorary Serb]

New!

[sauropod]

Bkmk