David Holtzman, MD

David Holtzman, MD

Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor | Chair of the Department of Neurology

Research Areas

Complications

Signal Transduction/Hormone Action

Research Categories

Translational

Clinical

Research Interest

It is known that diabetes increases risk for dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by ~ 2-fold. The mechanism(s) underlying this increase in risk is unknown. We have been studying the acute effects of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia on brain protein metabolism relevant to AD by using peripheral glucose and insulin clamps while performing in vivo microdialysis in the brain for Aβ and other AD-related proteins. These studies have shown an effect of both glucose and insulin on increasing brain interstitial fluid levels of Aβ and the potential involvement of KATP channels in the brain in the effect of glucose and insulin. We are in the process of assessing the chronic effects of glucose and insulin in mouse models of AD as well as determining the mechanism underlying the effects of glucose and insulin on AD-related processes