Sunday July 6, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Insulin-like growth factor–1 (IGF-1) may have something to do with Alzheimer's disease.  According to a new study, evidence shows that reduced IGF-1 signaling prevents Alzheimer's disease like symptoms in rodents with Alzheimer's disease.  

The new study compared offspring from 92 families with a parental history of Alzheimer's disease with 2000 offspring from 97 families without a parental history of Alzheimer's disease to see the difference in the serum IGF-1 levels in those two groups.  

It was found that those with family history of Alzheimer's disease were more likely to carry an APOE allele and they were more likely to have higher IGF-1 levels

The study concluded "higher serum IGF-1 levels in middle age are associated with risk of AD disease (Alzheimer's disease) in older age, independent of APOE genotype."  (David Liu, PHD)

E. van Exela, P. Eikelenbooma, H. Comijsa, D.J.H. Deega, M.L. Steka, R.G.J. Westendorpc,  Insulin-like growth factor–1 and risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease: findings from a family study, Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 35, Issue 3, March 2014, Pages 725.e7–725.e10