Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging
A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health suggests that middle-aged people with type 1 diabetes may be more at risk for cognitive problems.
Researchers found that brain aging was more advanced in these patients, which, over time, could lead to a decreased ability to manage type 1 diabetes.
"The severity of cognitive complications and cerebral small vessel disease - which can starve the brain of oxygen - is much more intense than we expected," said senior study author Caterina Rosano, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences.
The study included 97 people with type 1 diabetes and 81 non-diabetic individuals. Researchers used MRIs to detect signs of brain abnormalities and aging.
White matter brain damage
Thirty-three percent of people with type 1 diabetes had moderate to severe damage to the brain's white matter - a type of damage often seen in neurological disorders or in people who are aging normally. Only 7 percent of the non-diabetic patients showed these types of brain changes.
Additionally, type-1 diabetics scored lower than non-diabetics on tests of verbal intelligence, information-processing speed and manual dexterity.
Nerve damage - which often manifests as tingling in the fingers or toes - was identified as a risk factor for greater damage to the brain's white matter.
According to Dr. Rosano, more studies are needed in younger patients, but addressing cardiometabolic risks and controlling blood sugar could help to prevent or delay the onset of cognitive problems in type-1 diabetics.
"People with type 1 diabetes are living longer than ever before, and the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing annually," said co-author Dr. Karen A. Nunley. "We must learn more about the impact of this disease as patients age. Long-term studies are needed to better detect potential issues and determine what interventions may reduce or prevent accelerated brain aging and cognitive decline."
Source: University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Image courtesy of atibodyphoto/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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