TY - JOUR A2 - Shukitt-Hale, Barbara AU - Duarte, Ana I. AU - Moreira, Paula I. AU - Oliveira, Catarina R. PY - 2012 DA - 2012/02/21 TI - Insulin in Central Nervous System: More than Just a Peripheral Hormone SP - 384017 VL - 2012 AB - Insulin signaling in central nervous system (CNS) has emerged as a novel field of research since decreased brain insulin levels and/or signaling were associated to impaired learning, memory, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, besides its well-known role in longevity, insulin may constitute a promising therapy against diabetes- and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. More interestingly, insulin has been also faced as the potential missing link between diabetes and aging in CNS, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) considered as the “brain-type diabetes.” In fact, brain insulin has been shown to regulate both peripheral and central glucose metabolism, neurotransmission, learning, and memory and to be neuroprotective. And a future challenge will be to unravel the complex interactions between aging and diabetes, which, we believe, will allow the development of efficient preventive and therapeutic strategies to overcome age-related diseases and to prolong human “healthy” longevity. Herewith, we aim to integrate the metabolic, neuromodulatory, and neuroprotective roles of insulin in two age-related pathologies: diabetes and AD, both in terms of intracellular signaling and potential therapeutic approach. SN - 2090-2204 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/384017 DO - 10.1155/2012/384017 JF - Journal of Aging Research PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -