Alzheimer's treatment via nasal spray unveiled
Intranasal Insulin Spray Reaches Brain Memory Centres, Paving the Way for Precision Therapy
A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has revealed that an insulin nasal spray can effectively deliver insulin to 11 critical brain regions associated with memory and cognition. This breakthrough, made possible by using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, provides the first direct evidence that intranasal insulin can reach its intended brain targets in older adults[^1^][^2^][^4^].
The insulin delivered via the nasal spray binds to receptors in these regions, particularly in the cortex and hippocampus, which helps overcome central nervous system insulin resistance and may support memory and cognitive function[^4^]. However, the study also uncovered some intriguing variations in insulin uptake, which could have significant implications for the design of personalized treatment approaches.
Insulin Uptake Varies Depending on Individual Factors
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) showed lower cumulative insulin delivery and faster clearance of the intranasal insulin compared to cognitively normal adults. This suggests that the nasal delivery pathway or brain insulin receptor availability might be altered early in cognitive decline[^1^][^4^].
Among cognitively normal participants, higher pulse pressure—a marker of better arterial elasticity and vascular function—was correlated with increased insulin delivery to the brain. This relationship was not observed in the MCI group, implying that vascular dysfunction may impair insulin uptake in those with early cognitive decline[^4^].
The study suggests that amyloid buildup can disrupt the nasal-olfactory plexus, a pathway critical for nose-to-brain drug delivery via cerebrospinal fluid exchange. This disruption may reduce insulin delivery in people with amyloid pathology common in Alzheimer’s disease and MCI[^4^].
Although the study did not explicitly discuss gender effects on insulin uptake, the Wake Forest team plans further studies that may explore demographic factors, including gender, to personalize intranasal insulin therapies[^2^].
A Promising Development for Alzheimer's Disease Therapies
The results of this study fill a crucial gap in our understanding of how intranasal insulin reaches the brain, and Dr. Suzanne Craft, Professor of Gerontology and Geriatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Director of the Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, stated that this is a significant step forward[^2^]. She added that the results show that they can now check if treatments actually achieve their intended goals in the brain, which is crucial for the design of successful studies.
The research team plans to conduct larger validation studies within the next 12 to 18 months to investigate how vascular health, amyloid accumulation, and gender-specific differences affect insulin delivery in the brain[^2^]. The study used a novel radiotracer, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Insulin, delivered via a unique six-spray nasal system, and involved sixteen older adults, seven with normal cognitive function and nine with mild cognitive impairment[^2^].
Participants underwent a 40-minute brain PET scan followed by whole-body imaging, and only two participants experienced mild headaches after the scan, indicating that the procedure was better tolerated than previously thought[^2^].
Meanwhile, a separate report, not related to the insulin study, discusses the use of sport as therapy for early dementia in Rudolstadt, Germany. This report was published by our website THURINGIA JOURNAL on April 21, 2025[^3^]. The report was aired on April 21, 2025, at 19:00 and lasted for 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but no further details about the sport therapy for early dementia in Rudolstadt were provided in the given context.
[^1^]: Wake Forest News Release, 2025 [^2^]: Inside Precision Medicine, 2025 [^3^]: THURINGIA JOURNAL, 2025 [^4^]: AJMC, 2025
- This groundbreaking study suggests that insulin uptake in brain regions associated with memory and cognition may vary depending on individual factors, such as cognitive impairment, pulse pressure, and amyloid buildup, which could have significant implications for the design of personalized treatment approaches, especially for neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease and mental health conditions.
- The study reveals that individuals with mild cognitive impairment showed lower cumulative insulin delivery and faster clearance compared to cognitively normal adults, potentially indicating alterations in the nasal delivery pathway or brain insulin receptor availability early in cognitive decline.
- The research on intranasal insulin therapy also indicates that amyloid buildup—common in Alzheimer’s disease and related neurological disorders—can disrupt the nasal-olfactory plexus, a critical pathway for nose-to-brain drug delivery, potentially reducing insulin uptake in affected individuals.
