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A randomized controlled trial of high-dose vitamin D2 followed by intranasal insulin in Alzheimer's disease
Stein MS, Scherer SC, Ladd KS, Harrison LC.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2011-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Poor vitamin D nutrition is linked with dementia, but vitamin D has not been tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nasal insulin acutely improves cognition and vitamin D upregulates insulin receptor expression and enhances insulin action. In an RCT we examined the effect of high-dose vitamin D followed by nasal insulin on memory and disability in mild-moderate AD. 63 community-dwelling individuals aged > 60 were recruited; 32 with mild-moderate disease (Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score 12-24) met entry criteria and were randomized.
Key findings
- Nasal insulin acutely improves cognition and vitamin D upregulates insulin receptor expression and enhances insulin action.
- In an RCT we examined the effect of high-dose vitamin D followed by nasal insulin on memory and disability in mild-moderate AD. 63 community-dwelling individuals aged > 60 were recruited; 32 with mild-moderate disease (Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score 12-24) met entry criteria and were randomized.
- All took low-dose vitamin D (1000 IU/day) throughout.
- After run-in (8 weeks), they were randomized to additional high-dose D/placebo for 8 weeks, followed immediately by randomization to nasal insulin (60 IU qid)/placebo for 48 h.
Why it matters
This small randomized trial gave high-dose vitamin D followed by nasal insulin to 32 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. It does not report that this combination prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 153 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.0 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Leonard C. Harrison: h-index 82 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Melbourne: institution h-index 1,342 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21694461) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3233/jad-2011-110149
- PubMed: 21694461
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Alzheimer s Disease →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Stein, M. S., Scherer, S. C., Ladd, K. S., & Harrison, L. C. (2011). A randomized controlled trial of high-dose vitamin D2 followed by intranasal insulin in Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-2011-110149
Vancouver
Stein MS, Scherer SC, Ladd KS, Harrison LC. A randomized controlled trial of high-dose vitamin D2 followed by intranasal insulin in Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2011. doi:10.3233/jad-2011-110149. PMID: 21694461.
BibTeX
@article{stein2011-21694461,
author = {Stein, M. S. and Scherer, S. C. and Ladd, K. S. and Harrison, L. C.},
title = {{A randomized controlled trial of high-dose vitamin D2 followed by intranasal insulin in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.3233/jad-2011-110149},
pmid = {21694461},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-2011-110149}
}
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