| Insulin Resistance - Reduced Cellular Responsiveness to Insulin
Type: Metabolic phenotype / insulin-signaling dysfunction
Function: Insulin resistance is a state in which target tissues respond inadequately to insulin, resulting in impaired glucose uptake and altered metabolic signaling. It is commonly associated with compensatory hyperinsulinemia, dysregulated PI3K/AKT signaling, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered lipid metabolism.
Cancer: ↑ Increased insulin resistance and associated hyperinsulinemia can promote a pro-tumorigenic metabolic environment through enhanced insulin/IGF signaling, inflammation, altered lipid metabolism, and increased growth-factor availability. The strength of this association varies by cancer type.
Alzheimer's Disease: ↑ Increased peripheral and brain insulin resistance is associated with impaired neuronal glucose utilization, synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, abnormal tau phosphorylation, and altered amyloid processing. Improved insulin sensitivity is generally considered favorable.
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