根据The Archives of Neurology网上公布的一项研究，一种由称为脂联素的内脏脂肪衍生而来的激素在女性各种原因痴呆和阿尔茨海默病（AD）的发生中可能起一个危险因素的作用。
据估计，在今后20年，全球受痴呆症影响的人数会比当前的约3600万人翻番，这是文章中作者提供的背景信息。AD是最常见的痴呆症形式。作者写的数据表明了胰岛素抵抗与炎症间的联系及痴呆症发展，其中胰岛素抵抗与炎症间的联系以II型糖尿病为标志。"脂联素是可能有助于AD发病和各种原因痴呆症的另外一个潜在因素。脂联素是一种来源于内脏脂肪的激素，这种内脏脂肪使机体对胰岛素敏感，脂联素具有抗炎特性，并在糖与脂代谢中发挥作用。"
来自波士顿塔夫斯大学TUFTS大学人类老年营养研究中心脂质代谢实验室的Thomas M. van Himbergen博士和同事们测定了患者血浆中血糖、胰岛素，糖化白蛋白、C反应蛋白、脂蛋白相关磷脂酶A 2以及脂联素水平，他们是弗雷明汉心脏研究第19次两年一次检查（1985-1988）的患者。
其中840例（541名妇女，平均年龄76年）患者平均13年随访一次，评价AD和痴呆症发展的各种指征。在这期间，159例发生痴呆，其中包括125例AD。在调整其他痴呆症的危险因素后（年龄，载脂蛋白E基因型，低血浆二十二碳六烯酸，体重变化），只有女性脂联素是与各种原因的痴呆和AD风险性增加相关。
"已经很确定的是，在AD患者大脑中胰岛素信号功能失调，因为脂联素增强胰岛素敏感性，人们还期待防止认知能力下降的有益作用"，作者写道。"但是，我们的数据暗示，升高的脂联素水平与女性痴呆症和AD增加的风险性相关。"
作者总结如下："脂联素的一个主要特点是，它已被证明在胰岛素敏感性中发挥作用，因此可能成为II型糖尿病(T2D)治疗的一个靶点。令人惊讶的是，高脂联素水平被发现是各种原因和血管死亡率的一个预测因素。在死亡率调查发现的同时，目前的研究表明，升高的脂联素水平也是女性各种原因痴呆和AD的一个独立预测因素。"（生物谷bioon.com）
doi:10.1001/archneurol.2011.670
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Biomarkers for Insulin Resistance and Inflammation and the Risk for All-Cause Dementia and Alzheimer Disease
Thomas M. van Himbergen, PhD; Alexa S. Beiser, PhD; Masumi Ai, MD; Sudha Seshadri, MD; Seiko Otokozawa, MT; Rhoda Au, PhD; Nuntakorn Thongtang, MD;Philip A. Wolf, MD; Ernst J. Schaefer, MD
ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the contribution of biomarkers of glucose homeostasis (adiponectin, glucose, glycated albumin, and insulin levels) and inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 levels) to the risk of developing Alzheimer disease (AD) and all-cause dementia. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Dementia-free Framingham Heart Study participants had sera measured for these biomarkers at the 19th biennial examination (1985-1988) and were followed up prospectively for the development of AD and all-cause dementia. Participants Eight hundred forty (541 women, median age of 76 years) subjects participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures We used sex-pooled and sex-specific multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, education, body mass index, recent change in weight, APOE 4 allele status, and plasma docosahexaenoic acid levels to determine association of these biomarkers with the development of all-cause dementia and AD. Results Over a mean follow-up period of 13 years, 159 persons developed dementia (including 125 with AD). After adjustment for other risk factors, only adiponectin in women was associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.66; P = .054) and AD (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.00-1.76; P = .050) per 1-SD increase in adiponectin level. Women with baseline adiponectin values more than the median had a higher risk of all-cause dementia (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.03-2.56; P = .04) and AD (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.13-3.10; P = .01) as compared with those with values less than the median. Conclusion In women, increased plasma adiponectin levels are an independent risk factor for the development of both all-cause dementia and AD
