喷鼻胰岛素能减缓老年痴呆症（图）

Insulin nasal spray may slow Alzheimer's
Memory function improved in up to three-fourths of patients using special device, new study finds

通过胰岛素鼻腔喷雾提高认知能力的试验有了令人鼓舞的结果，但这还是一个早期的小规模试验，还需要更大的研究来确定它是否有效和安全。这个新疗法是以阿尔茨海默病和糖尿病相关的理论作为基础。糖尿病患者患上老年痴呆症的风险似乎更高，并且老年痴呆症病人倾向于有抗胰岛素性，以鼻喷的方式给胰岛素可以使其直接进入大脑而不影响血糖水平，如果这个疗法有效的话，它无疑将是一种简单的操作。不像每天注射一针那样，而且很可能会更便宜。

A new study released Monday shows that insulin applied daily through a special nasal spray might be a treatment that slows or stops the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. That’s hopeful news for millions facing the memory-robbing disease, because nothing has been successful at halting its awful progress.

In the small study, called a Phase II, researchers from the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, enrolled 104 people with Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment. The participants were given 20 IU (international units) of insulin, 40 IU of insulint or a saline placebo. Memory, cognition and functional ability were measured before and after treatment. Some of the participants also received lumbar punctures to test cerebrospinal fluid and brain scans before and after treatment.

By Robert Bazell
Chief science and health correspondent
NBC News
updated 9/12/2011 4:01:28 PM ET 2011-09-12T20:01:28