Fight against Glucose Rescues Age-Related Cognitive Decline

Abstract

Aging is commonly associated with dysfunctions of various systems, especially the cognitive decline that seriously diminishes the independence and life quality of old individuals. Exploring the approaches for maintaining a healthy brain is now a critical public health concern. Calorie restriction (CR) has been known to extend longevity, promote metabolic health, and delay the progress of aging and the risk of age-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have shown that CR improves the insulin sensitivity. Moreover, defected insulin signaling in individuals with or without diabetes is related to a higher risk of age-related cognitive deficits or AD. Evidences suggest that treatment of diabetes mimics the activity of CR, modulating the metabolism of glucose and lipid and the function of insulin system, thus may has the anti-aging potential. In this paper, we reviewed the laboratory experiment and clinical data that focused on the protective role of CR, and that investigated the effect of several types of common agents for diabetes treatment on aging or cognitive ability. The progress in recent years inspires researchers to explore the mechanisms of age-related cognitive decline, and search for safe and effective therapeutic strategies. In the future, more high-quality studies are required to optimize the application of CR or diabetes therapies on the prevention or treatment of brain aging.