"Alzheimer's disease, a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease, still constitutes a challenge for medicine. Its cause is not known, there is no effective treatment available, only treatments that alleviate some symptoms, but do not stop the progression of the disease," said María Javier Ramírez, a researcher at School of Pharmacy and research center Applied Medicine at the University of Navarra, at a lecture held at the academic center as part of the 2010 edition of 'Science Weeks'.

"In Navarra there are 9,000 people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, 3,000 more than just three years ago, according to the data managed by the association de Familiares de Enfermos de Alzheimer de Navarra (AFAN). The number of people affected soars in the Autonomous Community to 27,000 if we add the three family caregivers who, from average, provide care for these patients", stressed Ramirez.

According to the Professor of Pharmacology, "there is therefore an urgent need for research to find out which risk factors confer a greater predisposition to suffer from the disease. In the department of Pharmacology of the School of Pharmacy of the University of Navarra at partnership with CIMA, the programs of study have focused on diabetes, since programs of study epidemiological data indicate that the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is higher among patients with diabetes mellitus subject 2, whose origin is directly related to obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Taking into account that more than three million Spaniards (50,000 in Navarra) suffer from this type of diabetes subject , it seems clear that there is a need to continue studying and delving deeper into the mechanisms that link insulin, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease".