New research demonstrates potential for a specific protein causing type 2 diabetics to experience cognitive decline.
A recent study from Umeå University in Sweden, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, suggests that the connection between improper type 2 diabetes management and cognitive decline may be due to difficulties in removing certain proteins from the body, potentially leading to a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s among diabetics. The study cites that the link could have to do with difficulties removing specific beta-amyloid proteins cfrom the body. These proteins play a key role in the formation of plaques found in the brains of individuals with this cognitive condition.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior, is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of cases. More than 6 million Americans are living with the disease, and it’s the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Properly managing conditions like type 2 diabetes is crucial in reducing risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s.
The research, led by Olov Rolandsson, a senior professor at Umeå University’s Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine examined two forms of beta-amyloid, Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42, and an enzyme responsible for breaking down these proteins. The team recruited ten individuals with type 2 diabetes and eleven healthy participants aged between 66 and 72 years who underwent a controlled infusion of glucose, inducing acute hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugar levels, for four hours. During this period, the researchers closely monitored the concentrations of beta-amyloids and the enzyme.
In the beginning phase, both the diabetes group and the control group exhibited similar levels of beta-amyloids following the glucose infusion. However, as time passed, a significant difference between the two groups was observed. Among the healthy participants, the levels of beta-amyloids decreased sharply, while the enzyme responsible for breaking down the proteins increased. The group with type 2 diabetes had beta-amyloid levels the remained elevated, and there was no corresponding rise in the enzyme’s activity.
These findings suggest that individuals with type 2 diabetes may have a diminished ability to clear beta-amyloids from the system compared to those without diabetes. This impaired clearance could contribute to the gathering of beta-amyloids in the brain, a well-known feature of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders.
The results demonstrate why there can be a heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people with type 2 diabetes, and the study underscores the importance of managing blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. While the results are promising, Rolandsson cautions that further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential therapeutic interventions.
For individuals living with type 2 diabetes, it is important to avoid episodes of high blood sugar to avoid long-term negative health effects. Consistently high glucose levels can have serious health implications. Not only do these spikes in blood sugar contribute to the long-term complications commonly associated with diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure, but as the study shows, they also increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Given that the risk for Alzheimer’s disease increases with chronically elevated blood sugar levels, the potential to negatively impact brain health in other ways is also likely to be a risk.
Sources:
2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures
Acute Hyperglycemia Induced by Hyperglycemic Clamp Affects Plasma Amyloid-β in Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes hinders beta-amyloid clearance and may elevate Alzheimer’s risk
Join the conversation!