New Study Explores Link Between Type 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s

PITTSBURGH — A new study by the American Academy of Neurology has found a link between people with Type 2 diabetes, and even pre-diabetes, and the development of Alzheimer’s.

A research team in Japan made the connection by examining 135 people with an average age of 67.

All of them were given several glucose tests to measure blood sugar levels.

They were also monitored for Alzheimer’s disease over the next 10 to 15 years.

Results of the study showed that 16 percent of participants developed Alzheimer’s disease, while 65 percent of them had plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s.

Local experts said they’ve known how diabetes puts patients at risk for varying medical problems, but the study notes how those with insulin resistance or pre-diabetes are at risk.

“I think it’s an important warning sign and we need to be in better shape and we need to watch our lifestyle because, if we develop a pre-diabetes state, there certainly are consequences,” said Dr. Murray Gordon, of Allegheny General Hospital.

The next step for researches will be to try and determine if insulin resistance is the cause of the development of plaques associated with Alzheimer’s.

Gordon said there are steps everyone can take right now.

“Clearly, there is an epidemic of obesity. The No. 1 thing we can do is diet and exercise. We need to exercise more. We need to exercise vigorously three of four times a week. We need to keep our weight down and, hopefully, with a healthy lifestyle, we can help to prevent pre-diabetes and diabetes,” said Gordon.

Signs of pre-diabetes include being overweight and having high blood pressure and cholesterol.

SOURCE: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com