As the current debate continues on whether AD represents a form of diabetes (type 3 diabetes) that selectively afflicts the brain, LRP1's protective role against neurodegenerative disease is now highlighted as a molecule converging the roles of removing excess Aβ peptide from the brain, lipoprotein metabolism, and mediating insulin signaling (Figure 1(b)). The gene discussed is INS; the disease is neurodegenerative disease.