IGF-1: an endogenous link between traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer disease?

Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences
Ping Zheng, Wusong Tong

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence that the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is dynamically involved in the regulation of body homeostasis and glucose regulation. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). As alterations of IGF-1 have been implicated in both TBI and AD and the IGF-1 signaling also mediates the neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity in both diseases, we propose that IGF-1 may act as the endogenous connection between TBI and AD. Growing evidence suggests that dysfunction of this pathway contributes to the progressive loss of neurons in Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the most frequent neurodegenerative disorders. These findings have led to numerous studies in preclinical models of neurodegenerative disorders targeting IGF-1 signaling with currently available antidiabetics. These studies have shown that exogenous administration of IGF-1 reverses signaling abnormalities and has neuroprotective effects. In the first part of this review, we discuss physiological functions of IGF-1 signaling pathway including its distribution within the brain and its relationship with TBI and AD. In the second part, we undertake a comprehensive overview of IGF-1 signaling ...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 25, 2019·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience·Wei ChenPing Zheng
Nov 24, 2020·Frontiers in Endocrinology·Jorge Berlanga-AcostaPedro A Valdés-Sosa

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brain injury after impact to the head is due to both immediate mechanical effects and delayed responses of neural tissues.