Controlling diabetes important for slowing cognitive decline

August, 2012

Findings from a large, long-running study adds to growing evidence that poorly controlled diabetes is associated with faster cognitive decline.

The latest finding from the large, long-running Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study adds to the evidence that preventing or controlling diabetes helps prevent age-related cognitive decline.

The study involves 3,069 older adults (70+), of whom 717 (23%) had diabetes at the beginning of the study in 1997. Over the course of the study, a further 159 developed diabetes. Those with diabetes at the beginning had lower cognitive scores, and showed faster decline. Those who developed diabetes showed a rate of decline that was between that faster rate and the slower rate of those who never developed diabetes.

Among those with diabetes, those who had higher levels of a blood marker called glycosylated hemoglobin had greater cognitive impairment. Higher levels of this blood marker reflect poorer control of blood sugar.

In other words, both duration and severity of diabetes are important factors in determining rate of cognitive decline in old age.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/uoc--pob062112.php

Reference:

[3002] Falvey, C.
(2012). Diabetes, Glucose Control, and 9-Year Cognitive Decline Among Older Adults Without Dementia.
Archives of Neurology. 1 - 1.

Full text available at http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1183076

rate of decline

seniors

Aging

Related News

Dementia rate in extreme elderly population

Data from 330 participants in The 90+ Study, of whom 70% were women, has revealed an overall annual incidence rate of 18.2% for dementia, rising from 12.7% per year in the 90-94 age group, to 21.2% in the 95-99 age group and 40.7% per year in the 100+ age group.

Stress raises risk of mental decline in older diabetics

A study involving over 1000 older men and women (60-75) with type-2 diabetes has found that those with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood are more likely to have experienced cognitive decline.

Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage

Following on from studies showing that a Mediterranean-like diet may be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and may lengthen survival in people with Alzheimer's, a six-year study of 712 New Yorkers has revealed that those who were most closely following a Mediterranean-like diet

New test to diagnose early stage Alzheimer's disease

A new test has been developed that measures amyloid-beta oligomers in the cerebrospinal fluid, promising a reliable means of early diagnosis.

New Alzheimer's test offers better opportunities for early detection

A computerized self test (CST) has been developed that is 96% accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer’s and

Major depression more than doubles risk of dementia among adults with diabetes

Both diabetes and clinical depression are known to be risk factors for dementia. Now a study that tracked nearly 4000 diabetics over 5 years has found having both increased the risk 2.7-fold.

Mother’s Alzheimer’s greater risk factor than father’s

A brain scanning study using Pittsburgh Compound B, involving 42 healthy indi

Having greater purpose in life associated with reduced Alzheimer's risk

Data from over 900 community-dwelling older adults participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project has found that greater purpose in life was associated with a substantially reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, as well as a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment and a slower rat

Factors predicting conversion of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s identified

An analysis technique using artificial neural networks has revealed that the most important factors for predicting whether amnestic mild cognitive impairment (

Untreated vision problems linked to dementia in the elderly

Data from 625 elderly Americans, followed for an average of 8.5 years, has revealed that those with very good or excellent vision at the beginning of the study had a 63% reduced risk of dementia over the study period.

Pages