According to a recent study, a straightforward blood test for measuring insulin resistance may also assist medical professionals in identifying patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who are most at risk of experiencing rapid cognitive deterioration. The test revealed that higher insulin resistance was associated with quicker cognitive impairment.
An estimated 69 million people worldwide have prodromal Alzheimer’s disease, also known as early-stage Alzheimer’s disease [1]. Early-stage Alzheimer’s patients start to show signs of mild cognitive impairment, which can impede their memory, ability to finish tasks, and communication.
Previous research indicates that early detection of Alzheimer’s improves the effectiveness of presently recommended drugs and lifestyle modifications in slowing the illness’s progression [2].
According to a recent study presented at the 2025 European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress, a straightforward blood test for measuring insulin resistance may also help medical professionals in identifying patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who are most at risk of experiencing rapid cognitive deterioration.
Current methods can detect the disease, but they can’t always anticipate how quickly it will proceed, according to Bianca Gumina, MD, one of the study’s researchers. Finding those who are more likely to experience a quick decline could enable prompt, focused interventions during a crucial period when the illness may still be amenable to therapy or lifestyle modifications.
The study’s results have not yet been released in a peer-reviewed journal.
The TyG Index Test for Alzheimer’s
Researchers examined the medical data of 315 individuals without diabetes, with an average age of around 70, for this study. About two hundred participants had Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers assessed all participants for insulin resistance using the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, with a three-year clinical follow-up.
Gumina stated that the TyG index is a verified indicator of insulin resistance, which often occurs in metabolic syndrome or prediabetes. It incorporates two standard, non-invasive blood values: triglycerides and fasting blood glucose. It is readily available in standard labs and is simple to calculate.
Higher TyG index indicates a faster cognitive deterioration rate
Upon grouping study participants according to their TyG index results, the researchers discovered that the cognitive decline of those in the highest TyG index group worsened more quickly than that of those in the lower TyG index group.
According to Gumina, this discovery is important because it identifies a window of vulnerability (mild cognitive impairment, the early stage of the disease) during which the condition may be more susceptible to metabolic stress. Compared to patients with lower TyG levels, individuals with high TyG levels during this early stage were four times more likely to experience rapid cognitive loss. This implies that insulin resistance may actively affect the rate at which Alzheimer’s develops, and early detection of this risk may lead to novel treatment options.
Significance of the study
According to Gumina, the TyG index is a widely accessible, reasonably priced tool that can be readily incorporated into standard clinical practice to identify patients who are more likely to have a rapid deterioration. Early detection of these patients could enable clinicians to prioritize them for lifestyle modifications, closer monitoring, or even clinical trial enrollment, potentially individualizing subphenotypes of the illness.
Furthermore, it promotes the development of treatment plans based on metabolism, potentially leading to therapies that address insulin resistance and slow the disease progression.
What’s Next?
These results may aid in the early identification of Alzheimer’s patients who are at high risk of cognitive loss and the enrollment of these patients in more focused treatment trials, such as those including anti-amyloids. Additionally, the blood test can help improve their insulin sensitivity promptly.
The research team is now investigating if the TyG index similarly corresponds with neuroimaging biomarkers of brain degeneration. The next objective is to combine metabolic profiling with genetic and imaging data to improve risk models and direct early, tailored therapies, Gumina said.
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References
- Gustavsson, A., Norton, N., Fast, T., Frölich, L., Georges, J., Holzapfel, D., Kirabali, T., Krolak‐Salmon, P., Rossini, P.M., Ferretti, M.T. and Lanman, L., 2023. Global estimates on the number of persons across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 19(2), pp.658-670.
- Rasmussen, J. and Langerman, H., 2019. Alzheimer’s disease–why we need early diagnosis. Degenerative neurological and neuromuscular disease, pp.123-130.
- Pelc, C. Insulin resistance test may help predict early Alzheimer’s cognitive decline rate. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/insulin-resistance-test-may-help-predict-early-alzheimers-cognitive-decline-rate. Published Online: 28th July, 2025. Accessed: 28th July, 2025.
- Whittaker, R. The simple blood test that can predict Alzheimer’s decline. Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/alzheimers-blood-test-dementia-b2773695.html. Published Online: 23rd June, 2025. Accessed: 28th July, 2025.