IAPP and Alzheimer disease: Furthermore, in the absence of a corresponding amount of stabilizing insulin, this protein is prone to misfolding and the formation of oligomers and fibrils.[15,16] Taking things a step further, research has revealed that type 2 diabetes mellitus is a substantial risk factor for the development of AD.[17] Research has shown that these peptides cause the death of neurons via the induction of proapoptotic genes in a mechanistically similar way to Aβ plaques.[18] These data suggest that amylin, like Aβ peptides, is cytotoxic to neurons and pathogenic, leading to AD.