Type 2 Diabetes - Having Diabetes Raises the Risk of Developing Brain Atrophy and Dementia

It is widely known having Type 2 diabetes raises the risk of having or developing brain atrophy and dementia. Scientists at Fuzhou General Hospital and several other research institutions in Fujian and Jiangsu, China, took a closer look at the brain to determine which structures were smaller or shaped differently in people with the condition.

Using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), investigators viewed the brain of 23 people with Type 2 diabetes and 24 healthy participants. All participants were given tests showing how well their brain was functioning.

Brain shrinkage was seen in two parts of the brain called the thalamus and bilateral caudate head. Such reduction was linked to poor performance on tests of brain use and with poorly-controlled HbA1c. MRI also showed changes of shape along with the loss of brain tissue. The researchers concluded the analysis of brain changes in Type 2 diabetes could greatly help us to understand how such changes could affect thinking.

The thalamus receives sensory information on touch, pain, or temperature from nerves located throughout the body. From there it relays the information to various parts of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain used for thinking. Different parts of the cerebral cortex handle information coming from specific regions of the body. More research is needed to clarify how atrophy and change of shape could change how this process works and how it might make a difference in the lives of people with Type 2 diabetes.

The bilateral caudate head, a part of the caudate nucleus, is located near the thalamus and performs a vital role in learning. It helps the individual to use past experiences to make new decisions. It is thought to be important in communication.

Damage to the caudate nucleus can cause unusual behavioral changes, including...

• a decreased ability to move,
• mental stagnation and the lack of initiative,
• restlessness,
• a lack of ability to control impulses,
• confusion, and
• psychosis-like signs.

How might atrophy and the change of brain shape affect so many functions? More investigation will explain how these changes might be linked to Alzheimer's disease.

It is no secret people with Type 2 diabetes have a significantly increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, by up to 65 percent. As a person becomes resistant to insulin, it has been found insulin in the brain falls below healthy levels and then normal signaling and transmission of brain chemicals start to suffer. This is when proteins known as beta-amyloid accumulate in the brain. These are the destructive compounds associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.