Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2025, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (11): 3113-3123.doi: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01910

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Understanding the link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson’s disease: role of brain insulin resistance

Theodora Ntetsika1, 2, *, Sergiu-Bogdan Catrina3, 4, Ioanna Markaki1, 5   

  1. 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden;  2 Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden;  3 Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden;  4 Center for Diabetes, Academic Specialist Center, Stockholm, Sweden;  5 Center for Neurology, Academic Specialist Center, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Online:2025-11-15 Published:2025-02-22
  • Contact: Theodora Ntetsika, MD, theodora.ntetsika@ki.se.
  • Supported by:
    This work has received support from Region Stockholm, ALF-project (FoUI-960041). Open Access funding is provided by Karolinska Institute (both to IM).

Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson’s disease are chronic diseases linked to a growing pandemic that affects older adults and causes significant socio-economic burden. Epidemiological data supporting a close relationship between these two aging-related diseases have resulted in the investigation of shared pathophysiological molecular mechanisms. Impaired insulin signaling in the brain has gained increasing attention during the last decade and has been suggested to contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease through the dysregulation of several pathological processes. The contribution of type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance in neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease, with emphasis on brain insulin resistance, is extensively discussed in this article and new therapeutic strategies targeting this pathological link are presented and reviewed

Key words: brain insulin resistance, brain insulin signaling, diabetes type 2, GLP-1 receptor agonists, GLP-1 signaling, insulin resistance,  , insulin signaling, neurodegeneration, Parkinson’s disease, targeted therapy