Curcumin intervention in hippocampal atrophy of diet-induced Alzheimer-like deficits in insulin-resistant rats

INTRODUCTION: The primary mechanism connecting Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to the neurodegenerative deficits in brain regions such as the hippocampus is insulin resistance. Neurodegenerative deficits in the form of amyloid aggregation and Tau hyperphosphorylation, which are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, are documented for both conditions in scientific literature. A mouse model of insulin resistance was used to study this relationship, and curcumin, a flavonoid contained in the spice turmeric, was evaluated as a potential treatment because of its reported benefits in lowering hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in diabetes mellitus. Curcumin is a prime contender against these pervasive diseases due to its efficacy, accessibility, affordability, and safety. METHODS: The study methodology included measuring fasting blood glucose levels, staining hippocampal sections for histomorphological examination, and ELISA to quantify hippocampal PI3K expression, AKT expression, and GSK3-β. Data were processed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey's post hoc test. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that oral curcumin effectively corrected hyperglycemia and reduced insulin resistance. The study further revealed that insulin resistance was related to hippocampal atrophy and related deficits in the assessed rat model. Curcumin ameliorated these changes, reduced the aggregation of Aβ in the hippocampus, and reversed impaired signaling of proteins PI3K, AKT, and GSK-3β. CONCLUSION: The study's findings imply that oral curcumin has potential therapeutic advantages against prevalent neuronal death linked to abnormalities mimicking Alzheimer's disease and insulin resistance. Hence, curcumin may benefit dementia patients who also have insulin resistance.