The Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease

Studies have suggested a connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease but researchers do not yet fully understand the connection.  Moreover while not all of the research has confirmed a link, researchers say that people with diabetes, especially type 2, appear to be at higher risk for eventually developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.  

One of the things not yet known is whether taking steps to prevent or control diabetes helps to reduce your risk of cognitive decline.  However we do know that one of the complications of diabetes is damage to the body’s blood vessels as well as the fact that diabetes is one of the risk factors for vascular dementia, which causes a reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain.  

Scientists first suspected a connection between Alzheimer’s and diabetes when they realized that the changes in the brain were very similar; and it has been hypothesized that each of these conditions may fuel the damage caused by the other.   With new research, experts hope to get a better understanding of the connection between the two diseases.  “That link may occur as a result of the complex ways that type 2 diabetes affects the ability of the brain and other body tissues to use sugar (glucose) and respond to insulin.”

We also know that diabetes increases the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which may eventually lead to full blown dementia.  In addition, MCI can also appear years earlier in people who later are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  

At MorningStar at Englefield Green, a memory care unit in Boise, our loving community was specifically designed to serve the needs of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. As dementia specialists, we recognize that the essence of the person still exists – our job is to find ways to connect with that essence regardless of the level of memory loss. Please contact us for more information.  

MorningStar at Englefield Green brings a unique vision to senior living with our mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. We are dedicated to creating a true home within an ideal setting and invite you to schedule a tour to see firsthand the best memory care unit in Boise, ID.

Source:mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-and-alzheimers/art-20046987