If you’re suffering from diabetes, you may be wondering if Type 2 diabetes can speed up brain aging. Fortunately, there’s some good news! Studies have shown that diabetes can speed up the brain’s natural aging process. This means that your executive function and processing speed may be affected, making you more vulnerable to cognitive decline. Read on to learn more. But do you have to worry about this?
Type 2 Diabetes Accelerates Natural Brain Aging
Researchers have discovered that type two diabetes significantly accelerates cognitive decline and brain aging. Although the actual neurodegeneration process in the brain is similar to that seen in people without diabetes, it advances 26 percent faster in those with the disease. The rapid rate of neurodegeneration in those with type 2 diabetes may be due to changes in the brain’s ability to control glucose.
The effects of diabetes on the brain are more evident in people with type 2 diabetes. While neurodegeneration in the brain happens naturally as people age, the effects of diabetes are more severe. The longer the diabetes is present, the greater the impact on brain function. In addition, diabetes progression is associated with accelerated brain aging, which may be due to changes in the way brain glucose is regulated. So, it is important to understand how diabetes can affect the brain and its neurodegenerative process.
Type 2 Diabetes Affects Executive Function
A new study suggests that both aging and type 2 diabetes affect the executive functions of the brain. This study found that people with diabetes had 13.1% lower executive function and processing speed than those without the disease. Additionally, a meta-analysis of other studies confirmed this finding. This finding supports previous research showing that people with diabetes are less likely to function well in all areas, including executive functions. Here’s more information about the effect of diabetes on executive functions.
The study also found that participants with T2D had lower levels of executive function, total cognition, and language than those with T1D. Participants with high levels of inflammation also had lower scores on tests for language and memory. The authors of the study also note that further study is necessary to shed more light on the time course of blood flow regulation and disease. In addition, the study did not include younger participants who could potentially influence the effects of diabetes on executive function.
Type 2 Diabetes Affects Processing Speed
The latest study suggests that type 2 diabetes may speed up brain aging by reducing the activity of certain neurons in the brain. The findings were made in older adults. The study examined changes in executive functions, including learning, verbal episodic memory, and working memory. The results revealed that people with diabetes had significantly reduced levels of executive function and processing speed. Moreover, they also had higher odds of experiencing cognitive decline.
Researchers compared the brain structure of people with and without diabetes to see whether the disease affects brain aging. They found that both groups had similar declines in gray brain matter, including the ventral striatum (a region of the brain that helps the body process glucose), but those with diabetes had more significant decreases in the ventral striatum. Furthermore, people with diabetes also lost grey matter in other regions of the brain.
It Also Increases the Risk Of Cognitive Decline
Recent research has identified Type 2 diabetes as major comorbidity associated with increased risk for cognitive decline. A meta-analysis of 14 studies involving more than two million participants found that individuals with T2D have a nearly two-fold greater risk of developing dementia. These findings are based on the differences in underlying mechanisms and risks between males and females with diabetes. There are also differences in cognitive outcomes between males and females.
Earlier research has suggested that hyperglycemia precedes cognitive decline. It may even be a causal factor. The Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study, which included 1,000 adults aged 60 to 75 years, has demonstrated that those with a history of severe hypoglycemia have fewer cognitive capabilities. Although the evidence for cognitive decline is weak, it contradicts the findings from the Fremantle Diabetes Study and other RCTs.
Lastly
The current study, which included a large cohort, demonstrated a link between T2D and dementia. Although vascular comorbidity was not the primary cause of dementia in this study, it does seem to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in women with T2D. There is also a connection between dementia and cardiovascular comorbidity, which is an additional factor that contributes to the association.
