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Alzheimer-like changes in rat models of spontaneous diabetes
Li ZG, Zhang W, Sima AA.. Diabetes, 2007-04-24
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To examine whether changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease occur in two rat models with spontaneous onset of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Research design and methods The frontal cortices of 8-month-diabetic rats were examined with respect to neuronal densities, neurite degeneration, expression, and/or immunolocalization of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-secretase, beta-amyloid, COOH-terminal fragment (CTF), insulin receptor, IGF-1 receptor, glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta (GSK-3beta), protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated tau (phospho-tau), synaptophysin, and phosphorylated neurofilaments (SMI-31). Results Neuronal loss occurred in both models, significantly more so in type 2 diabetic BBZDR/Wor rats compared with type 1 diabetic BB/Wor rats and was associated with a ninefold increase of dystrophic neurites.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Li, Z. G., Zhang, W., & Sima, A. A. (2007). Alzheimer-like changes in rat models of spontaneous diabetes. Diabetes. https://doi.org/10.2337/db07-0171
Vancouver
Li ZG, Zhang W, Sima AA. Alzheimer-like changes in rat models of spontaneous diabetes. Diabetes. 2007. doi:10.2337/db07-0171. PMID: 17456849.
BibTeX
@article{li2007-17456849,
author = {Li, Z. G. and Zhang, W. and Sima, A. A.},
title = {{Alzheimer-like changes in rat models of spontaneous diabetes}},
journal = {Diabetes},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.2337/db07-0171},
pmid = {17456849},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2337/db07-0171}
}
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Key findings
- Research design and methods The frontal cortices of 8-month-diabetic rats were examined with respect to neuronal densities, neurite degeneration, expression, and/or immunolocalization of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-secretase, beta-amyloid, COOH-terminal fragment (CTF), insulin receptor, IGF-1 receptor, glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta (GSK-3beta), protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated tau (phospho-tau), synaptophysin, and phosphorylated neurofilaments (SMI-31).
- Results Neuronal loss occurred in both models, significantly more so in type 2 diabetic BBZDR/Wor rats compared with type 1 diabetic BB/Wor rats and was associated with a ninefold increase of dystrophic neurites.
- APP, beta-secretase, beta-amyloid, and CTF were significantly increased in type 2 diabetic rats, as was phospho-tau.
- The insulin receptor expression was decreased in type 1 diabetes, whereas IGF-1 receptor was decreased in both models, as were Akt and GSK-3beta expression.
Why it matters
In rats with spontaneous type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the frontal cortex showed neuronal loss and other Alzheimer-like changes. This is an animal study and does not show that diabetes causes Alzheimer's disease in people or that treating diabetes prevents it.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Diabetes) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Diabetes: journal h-index 447 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — 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 | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “rat”) — scores zero |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 265 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.6 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Anders A. F. Sima: h-index 74 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Wayne State University: institution h-index 864 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17456849) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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