Katherine Kittell
Research Mentor(s): Dave Bridges
Mentor Department: Nutritional Sciences
Authors:
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 45
Abstract
Type 2 Diabetes puts individuals at a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease, however, the underlying mechanism causing this comorbid condition is still unknown. To understand this relationship, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing the relationship between the two, and found a 64% increased relative risk of Alzheimer’s with Type 2 Diabetes. We performed Glucose Tolerance Tests (GTTs) on mice of different genetic backgrounds and sexes to test the ability of Miglitol, an anti-diabetes drug, to reduce glucose responses and potentially decrease risk of Alzheimer’s. We found that Miglitol significantly reduces weight and 15 minute blood glucose in female and male mice. To establish a significant correlation and examine other factors contributing Alzheimer’s, we analyzed patient data from Michigan Medicine, including approximately 800,000 people. We compared factors such as socioeconomic status, age, and gender. For age, we found that every year the risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases by 12%. We also found that females are ~48% more likely than males to develop Alzheimer’s. Currently, we are working towards multivariate analyses on these factors. This project aims to explore the mechanism by which Type 2 Diabetes increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as work towards a novel therapy in breaking this correlation.
