Could diabetes trigger DEMENTIA? People with type 2 suffer 'memory loss and declining decision-making skills'

  • Havard study found type 2 diabetes can trigger memory loss
  • Scientists tracked diabetics for two years and found 'significant decrease' in their cognitive ability 
  • Diabetes impairs blood flow regulation which affecting thinking ability

By Ben Spencer Medical Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 05:46 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 10:53 EST, 9 July 2015

People with type 2 diabetes lose brain power as their ability to regulate blood flow drops, research suggests.

A study by experts at Harvard Medical School suggests that the impact can be seen in memory and cognition tests - with the decrease in thinking skills dropping over just two years.

Some 3.5 million people in Britain are thought to have type two diabetes - an increase of 62 per cent in the last nine years.

The dramatic increase in the disease, which now affects one in every 16 adults in the country, is linked to spiralling rates of obesity and lack of exercise.

A new study by scientists at Harvard has found people with type 2 diabetes lose brain power as  their ability to regulate their blood sugar levels drop, resulting in memory loss and a decline in cognitive function

A new study by scientists at Harvard has found people with type 2 diabetes lose brain power as  their ability to regulate their blood sugar levels drop, resulting in memory loss and a decline in cognitive function

The US researchers tracked 40 people over two years, and found a significant decrease in cognitive power, which impacted their ability to cook and bathe themselves.

Study leader Dr Vera Novak, whose work was published in the journal Neurology, said: ‘Normal blood flow regulation allows the brain to redistribute blood to areas of the brain that have increased activity while performing certain tasks.

‘People with type two diabetes have impaired blood flow regulation.

‘Our results suggest that diabetes and high blood sugar impose a chronic negative effect on cognitive and decision-making skills.’

The study involved 40 people with an average age of 66.

Of those, 19 had type two diabetes and 21 did not have diabetes.

Researchers tracked type 2 diabetics for two years and hope further studies will help explore whether diabetes could trigger dementia

Researchers tracked type 2 diabetics for two years and hope further studies will help explore whether diabetes could trigger dementia

At the beginning of the study the participants were tested for cognition and memory, given MRI scans to look at brain volume and blood flow, and blood tests to measure control of blood sugar and inflammation.

After two years, they were tested again – and those with diabetes showed marked decreases in their ability to regulate blood flow in the brain.

They also had lower scores on several tests of memory and thinking skills - and found it harder to carry out daily tasks such as bathing and cooking.

On a test of learning and memory, the scores of the people with diabetes decreased by 12 per cent, from 46 points to 41 points, while the scores of those without diabetes stayed the same, at 55 points.

Dr Novak said: ‘Early detection and monitoring of blood flow regulation may be an important predictor of accelerated changes in cognitive and decision-making skills.’

She said additional studies involving more people and extending for a longer time period are needed to better understand the relationship and timing with blood flow regulation and changes in thinking and memory skills.

The research could explain why people with diabetes are at an increased risk of dementia.

Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer’s Research UK said: ‘We know that inflammation is being implicated in diseases like Alzheimer’s, and while it’s interesting to see it may also impact on the brain’s ability to divert blood flow, it’s hard to separate cause and effect in this kind of research.

‘Studies involving more people, tested over longer periods of time, will be needed before a clearer picture can emerge.’ 

Comments (47)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now