Potential roles of insulin and IGF-1 in Alzheimer's disease

Aging is characterized by a significant decline of metabolic and hormonal functions, which often facilitates the onset of severe age-associated pathologies. One outstanding example of this is the reported association of deranged signaling by insulin and insulin-like-growth-factor 1 (IGF-1) with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent compelling biological data reveal effects of insulin and IGF-1 on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathology of AD. This review discusses available biological data that highlight the therapeutic potential of the insulin-IGF-1 signaling pathway in AD.