Delirium affects more than 130,000 Australians nationwide each year. Despite being described over 2,500 years ago, there are still no approved treatments for delirium on the PBS. It leads to longer hospital stays, distress for families and is one of the strongest preventable risk factors for dementia.
This year, our Geriatric Medicine team – led by Dr Gideon Caplan – achieved a major milestone. Their research on using intranasal insulin to treat delirium (not just prevent it) was published in October and recognised by the European Delirium Association as one of the Top 10 delirium papers of 2025. It is the first study ever published globally to examine intranasal insulin as a treatment option in older hospitalised patients.
The findings are remarkable. In a cohort with a median age of 88, intranasal insulin reduced length of hospital stay by five days, showing that patients recovered significantly faster. Delirium duration was also reduced by two days, an encouraging clinical result even though it was not statistically significant. Together, these outcomes point to a therapy with real potential to change how delirium is managed.
A larger trial is now underway at POWH to determine whether intranasal insulin can also prevent delirium in older surgical patients. It’s a discovery that could reduce dementia risk and transform care worldwide.
This pioneering work is only possible because of our donors who believe in research, innovation and better futures for older Australians and older people around the world.