Mehrere prospektive epidemiologische Untersuchungen belegen, dass Diabetes mellitus
das Risiko, an einer Demenz vom Alzheimer–Typ zu erkranken, um etwa den Faktor 1,6
bis 1,9 steigert. Weitere metabolische Risikofaktoren der Alzheimer–Demenz sind Übergewicht
und Bewegungsmangel im mittleren Lebensalter. Die neurobiologische Basis dieses epidemiologischen
Zusammenhangs ist eine komplexe Beteiligung des neuronalen Glukose– und Insulinstoffwechsels
an synaptischer Plastizität und Gedächtnisprozessen. Die intrazelluläre neuronale
Signaltransduktionskette von Insulin ist aber bei Alzheimer–Demenz in ähnlicher Weise
gestört wie bei peripherer Insulinresistenz im Rahmen des Diabetes mellitus. Insulin
interagiert an verschiedenen Stellen mit der Bildung von Amyloid und phosphoryliertem
Tau–Protein. In der Zukunft besteht die Hoffnung, dass sich aus der Kenntnis dieser
Zusammenhänge neue kausal wirksame Therapieprinzipien für die Alzheimer–Demenz entwickeln
lassen. Bereits jetzt sollte beim einzelnen Patienten und in populationsbasierten
Ansätzen die Möglichkeit genützt werden, das Alzheimer–Risiko durch vermehrte körperliche
Aktivität und Vermeidung von Übergewicht um mehr als die Hälfte zu senken. Bei Diabetikern
muss dem erhöhten Demenzrisiko durch eine möglichst frühzeitige Diagnostik sowie durch
sorgfältige Stoffwechseleinstellung Rechnung getragen werden.
According to a growing body of evidence from prospective population–based studies,
the risk of incident AlzheimerŽs disease in diabetic patients is increased by an odds
ratio of approximately 1,6 to 1,9. Mid–life obesity and a sedentary life style are
additional risk factors of AlzheimerŽs dementia. As a neurobiological correlate, neuronal
glucose and insulin metabolism is involved in regulation of synaptic plasticity and
memory processes. In AlzheimerŽs disease, intracellular signalling of insulin in neurons
is impaired in a similar fashion as it is in peripheral cells from insulin resistant
diabetic patients. Insulin interacts with the metabolic pathways that participate
in the formation of AlzheimerŽs plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Hopefully, this
knowledge will eventually result in the design of new targets for prevention and treatment
of AlzheimerŽs disease. For the time being, this evidence must be translated into
individual and population–based life–style interventions that will help to reduce
the risk of incident AlzheimerŽs dementia by more than 50 %. In diabetic patients,
routine cognitive testing is warranted as part of the diagnostic screening for diabetes–related
complications, and antihyperglycemic treatment must be optimized in order to lower
the risk of cognitive decline.
Key words
Diabetes mellitus - Alzheimer's disease - obesity - prevention
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Korrespondenz
PD Dr. med. Daniel Kopf
Bethanien–Krankenhaus Geriatrisches Zentrum am Klinikum der Universität Heidelberg
Rohrbacher Str. 149
69126 Heidelberg
Fax: 06221/3191505
eMail: dkopf@bethanien-heidelberg.de