# GLUCOSE REGULATION AND MEMORY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 1992 · $93,755

## Abstract

Impaired glucose regulation appears to correspond with memory decline in
aging, and patients with Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT)
show particular abnormalities of glucose regulation as measured by
neuropathological and metabolic methods.  Further, several investigators
have documented that normal elderly and SDAT subjects show improvement in
memory function when plasma glucose is elevated to optimal levels.  In a
preliminary study, this improvement was accompanied by increased plasma
insulin for very mild SDAT subjects.

Based on these findings, the proposed study examines the effects of
hyperglycemia on memory performance and glucoregulatory hormone levels in
subjects with mild SDAT compared with normal elderly subjects.  The study
will also examine the specific effects of increased insulin levels on
memory performance.  Subjects will participate in three experimental and
two baseline conditions: 1. hyperglycemia with plasma insulin maintained
at baseline level using an islet clamp technique; 2. hyperinsulinemia
with plasma glucose maintained at baseline using glucose infusion; 3.
hyperglycemia with plasma insulin allowed to increase naturally; 4.
baseline plasma glucose and insulin with an islet clamp; and 5. baseline
plasma glucose and insulin with saline infusion.  Glucoregulatory
hormones and metabolites will be measured in each condition.  In
addition, cognitive protocols containing both memory and non-memory
measures will be administered in each condition.  Hormone and metabolite
levels and cognitive performance will be compared across conditions to
determine if cognitive facilitation occurs in experimental relative to
baseline conditions, and if such facilitation is accompanied by
corresponding hormonal changes.  The results of the proposed study should
provide important information about the specific mechanisms disrupting
glucose regulation in SDAT, as well as about the role of these mechanisms
in producing the cognitive deficits that characterize the disorder.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122851
- **Project number:** 1R01AG010880-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** L6NFUM28LQM5
- **Principal Investigator:** SUZANNE CRAFT
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $93,755
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1992-09-10 → 1994-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122851

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122851, GLUCOSE REGULATION AND MEMORY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (1R01AG010880-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122851. Licensed CC0.

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