The Latest Medical News

A Summary of The Latest Medical News: A new study reveals that a routine blood test measuring insulin resistance could help doctors predict which people with early stage Alzheimer's disease are most likely to suffer rapid cognitive decline[1][2][3][4]. ** The research, presented at the 2025 European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, focused on the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, an established blood test that combines measurements of fasting blood sugar and triglycerides—two values commonly checked during standard medical visits[2][3][4]. The TyG index is already used to detect insulin resistance, a condition often preceding diabetes or metabolic syndrome[2][3]. ** Researchers from the University of Brescia in Italy retrospectively analyzed data from 315 adults without diabetes, including 210 with biologically confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and 115 with other neurodegenerative disorders[1][2][3][4]. Each participant underwent TyG testing at baseline, followed by clinical monitoring for at least six months and, for most, up to three years[1][4][3]. ** Among patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s—a prodromal phase where memory and thinking are impaired but daily functioning is maintained—those with the highest TyG readings were over four times as likely to experience rapid cognitive decline compared to those with lower TyG scores[1][2][3][4]. This faster decline was measured as a loss greater than 2.5 points per year on the Mini Mental State Examination, a standard test for cognitive function[1][4]. ** No such association was observed in people with other neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting the predictive power of TyG is specific to Alzheimer’s disease[1][2][4]. ** High TyG scores in Alzheimer’s patients also correlated with increased cardiovascular risk and evidence of blood–brain barrier disruption, though they did not interact with the well-known APOE ε4 genetic risk factor[1]. These findings reinforce the growing understanding that metabolic dysfunction, especially insulin resistance, plays a major role in Alzheimer’s progression[1][2]. ** This study is significant because it uses a widely available, inexpensive blood test to inform patients and families about the likely course of early Alzheimer’s disease, which may help guide treatment and care decisions[2][4]. ** The research team notes that while their findings were presented at a major neurology congress, the results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal[3]. ** Lead researcher Dr. Bianca Gumina emphasized that the TyG index could become a valuable tool for clinicians to identify Alzheimer’s patients at high risk for rapid decline and potentially refer them for targeted therapies or interventions earlier in the disease process[4]. Help with your insurance? https://tally.so/r/n012P9