Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
The link between Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes continues to grow stronger. A new study provided at the Society for Neuroscience shows that the disease might in fact be the late stages of type 2 diabetes. Discover more about how Alzheimer’s could be type 2 diabetes.
Contents
The Connection Between Alzheimer’s and Type 2 Diabetes
A brand-new study done by scientists at Albany University in New York, shows that Alzheimer’s might be the late stages of type 2 diabetes.
Individuals who have type 2 diabetes produce additional insulin. That insulin can enter into the brain, interrupting brain chemistry and leading harmful proteins that toxin brain cells to form. The protein that forms in both Alzheimer’s patients and people with type 2 diabetes is the very same protein.
Scientist Edward McNay at Albany University, said:
“People who develop diabetes have to understand this is about more than controlling their weight or diet. It’s also the first step on the road to cognitive decline. Initially they won’t be able to keep up with their kids playing games, but in 30 years’ time they may not even acknowledge them.”
Alzheimer’s, Brain Tangles and Diabetes
In the previous few years, the connection in between the two illness has grown stronger with each relevant study. Individuals who establish type 2 diabetes often experience a sharp decrease in cognitive function and practically 70% of them eventually develop Alzheimer’s.
A current study published in the journal Neurology discovered that people with type 2 diabetes were more likely to develop the brain “tangles” frequently see in people with Alzheimer’s disease. They discovered that participants with type 2 diabetes were most likely to have the brain tangles, even if they did not have dementia or amnesia.
The study assessed over 120 older adults with type 2 diabetes and 700 individuals without diabetes. Some did have dementia or Alzheimer’s while others had signs of moderate cognitive problems and others had no cognitive disability. All individuals underwent MRI scans and 50% offered cerebrospinal fluid samples so researchers could determine levels of beta-amyloid and tau, two proteins that make up the tangles frequently seen in the brains of individuals who have Alzheimer’s. They found that general, individuals with type 2 diabetes revealed more thinning the brain’s cortex and had higher levels of tau protein as evidenced by the spine fluid which shows an increased level of tangles in the brain.
See also: Type 1 diabetes and Autism: Is there a link?
Senior researcher Dr. Velandai Srikanth, geriatrician at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia thinks that type 2 diabetes might cause brain problems that can lead to neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer’s. He likewise cautions that while the research study reveals a connection, it does not prove causation. Other typical aspects amongst people with type 2 diabetes, like weight problems, chronically high blood sugar levels or even degeneration in brain tissues might be at play.
The study has a bigger implication in that managing diabetes might be a way to combat the formation of plaques in the brain. Nevertheless, in the meantime, scientists do not fully comprehend why diabetes would increase tau accumulation.
The results of the research studies reinforce the idea that Alzheimer’s and diabetes are connected and plays an important role in our brain health.
New Insight Into the Alzheimer’s and Diabetes Connection
The link in between Alzheimer’s and diabetes continues to grow more powerful with a brand-new paper by Professor Melissa Schilling, a technique and innovation professional at the NYU Stern School of Business. The paper, recently published in The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found that hyperinsulinemia, triggered by early or undiagnosed diabetes, obesity or prediabetes is likewise discovered in nearly half of all people with Alzheimer’s. Schilling reviewed hundreds of released posts about the pathway between insulin and Alzheimer’s, leading her to a new understanding of the connections in between the two disease. She stated:
“What I’ve learned from my development research is that specialists can end up being trapped in the logic of their field, so brand-new viewpoints frequently originate from outsiders. If we can raise awareness and get more people evaluated for hyperinsulinemia, especially those who have actually been diagnosed with or who are at risk for dementia, it might considerably reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, along with other diabetes-related health issue.”
Her findings might have major ramifications for Alzheimer’s and diabetes detection, including,
- Motivating all people with dementia to be checked for glucose intolerance problems which, when detected, might slow the disease
- Encouraging the FDA to need the glycemic index of food produces on nutrition labels
- Testing the basic population for glucose intolerance
- Using existing screening techniques to test the whole population for diabetes given that 1/3 of Americans are pre-diabetic
What You Can Do Now
While more research needs to be done to confirm the relationship between the two diseases we understand that consuming healthy can keep diabetes away, which might keep Alzheimer’s away. The study likewise showed that reducing weight and exercising may keep the early stages of Alzheimer’s at bay.
The following lifestyle changes can keep you from establishing type 2 diabetes:
- Eat healthy
- Preserve a healthy weight
- Manage blood pressure
- Manage cholesterol
- Regular exercise
- Quit cigarette smoking
Were you aware about the connection between Alzheimer’s and diabetes? Will you change your health for body and mind? Share your ideas with us in the remarks below.
