ultimateimp – Recent research highlights that approximately 540 million individuals worldwide have diabetes, with about 98% diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, around 720 million people globally are affect by prediabetes.
Previous studies have established a link between prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of brain-related health issues. For instance, a February 2021 study found that prediabetes was associat with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and vascular dementia.
Abigail Dove, a PhD student at the Aging Research Centre (ARC) in the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, emphasize, “While High blood sugar is a known risk factor for dementia, the impact of diabetes and prediabetes on early brain aging is still not fully understood. It is crucial to explore how to protect brain health in individuals with diabetes as they age.”
Dove is the lead author of a recent study publish in Diabetes Care, which investigates the effects of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes on brain aging.
Impact of Diabetes on Brain Age
Dove and her team analyzed MRI brain scans from over 31,000 participants aged 40 to 70, sourced from the UK Biobank. At the beginning of the study, 43% of participants had prediabetes, and nearly 4% had diabetes. Participants underwent up to two MRI scans over an 11-year period, with researchers using a machine-learning model to estimate brain age.
The study revealed that individuals with prediabetes and diabetes had brains that were 0.5 and 2.3 years older, respectively, compared to their chronological age.
Dove noted, “Diabetes can impact brain health through various biological mechanisms. For example, diabetes-related microvascular and macrovascular complications can lead to brain atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular issues, potentially accelerating neurodegeneration.”
Mitigating Brain Aging Through Lifestyle Choices
The study also found that the gap between brain age and chronological age tended to widen over time for individuals with High blood sugar. However, this gap was less pronounced among those who engaged in regular physical activity, avoided smoking, and refrained from heavy alcohol consumption.
Dove clarify, “We wanted to checks if healthy lifestyle behaviors could reduse the negative effect of diabetes on brain health. Our analysis showed that people with High blood sugar who maintained an optimal healthy lifestyle had a smaller brain age gap compared to those with less healthy habits. This indicates that lifestyle modifications can help counteract the adverse effects of diabetes on brain health.”
Expert Insights on Diabetes and Brain Health
Dr. Scott Kaiser, a board-certified geriatrician and Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica. He emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle and effective High blood sugar management in reducing dementia risk and maintaining brain health.
Dr. Kaiser stated, “High blood sugar can increase the risk and severity of dementia. It’s crucial to consider how lifestyle choices—such as staying active. By avoiding smoking, moderating alcohol intake, and maintaining a healthy diet—can impact brain health and dementia risk.”
He also point out that while this study demonstrates significant associations, causality has not yet been fully establish. “Further prospective research is need to confirm a direct causal relationship. Nonetheless, the study provides valuable insights for lifestyle interventions that could enhance brain health on both individual and population levels.”
