Diabetes And Alzheimer's Linked
Diabetes may increase your risk of Alzheimer's. Reduce this risk by controlling your blood sugar. Diet and exercise can help. Diabetes and Alzheimer's disease are connected in ways that aren't yet fully understood. While not all research confirms the connection, many studies suggest people with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, are at higher risk of eventually developing Alzheimer's dementia or other dementias. Taking steps to prevent or control diabetes may help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Understanding the connection Diabetes can cause several complications, such as damage to your blood vessels. Diabetes is considered a risk factor for vascular dementia. This type of dementia occurs due to brain damage that is often caused by reduced or blocked blood flow to your brain. Many people with diabetes have brain changes that are hallmarks of both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Some researchers think that each condition fuels the damage caused by the other. Ongoing research is looking at trying to better understand the link between Alzheimer's and diabetes. That link may occur as a result of the complex ways that type 2 diabetes affects the ability of the brain and other body tissues to use sugar (glucose) and respond to insulin. Diabetes also may increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, a condition in which people experience more thinking (cognitive) and memory problems than are usually present in normal aging. Mild cognitive impairment may precede or accompany Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. As researchers examine the connections between diabetes and Alzheimer's, they're also studying potential ways to prevent or treat both diseases. Reducing your risk Working with your health care team to prevent diabetes or ma Continue reading >>
Alzheimers & Atherosclerosis Of The Brain
Alzheimers & Atherosclerosis of the Brain Alzheimers & Atherosclerosis of the Brain Lack of adequate blood flow to the brain due to clogging of cerebral arteries may play a pivotal role in the development and progression of Alzheimers dementia. In 1901, Auguste was taken to an insane asylum in Frankfurt, Germany by her husband. She was described as a delusional, forgetful, disoriented woman who could not carry out her homemaking duties. She was seen by a Dr. Alzheimer, and was to become the case that made his a household name. On autopsy, he described the plaques and tangles in her brain that would go on to characterize the disease, but lost in the excitement of discovering a new entity, a clue may have been overlooked. He described arteriosclerotic changeshardening of the arterieswithin her brain. We typically think of atherosclerosis in the heart, but atherosclerosis involves virtually the entire human organismour entire vascular tree. And, one of the most poignant examples of this systemic nature is the link between coronary artery disease, degenerative brain disease, and dementia. Back in the 70s, the concept of cardiogenic dementia was proposed: dementia generated from the cardiovascular system. Since the aging brain is highly sensitive to lack of oxygen, and since heart problems are so common, it was easy to imagine thats how dementia could result. And now, we have a substantial body of evidence that strongly associates atherosclerotic vascular disease with the #1 cause of dementia, Alzheimers disease. Autopsy studies, for example, have shown that individuals with AD have significantly more atherosclerotic narrowing of the arteries within their brain. This is what our cerebral arteries should look like: open, clean, allowing blood to flow. This is what atheroscle Continue reading >>
Increased Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes In Alzheimer Disease
Alzheimer disease and type 2 diabetes are characterized by increased prevalence with aging, a genetic predisposition, and comparable pathological features in the islet and brain (amyloid derived from amyloid β protein in the brain in Alzheimer disease and islet amyloid derived from islet amyloid polypeptide in the pancreas in type 2 diabetes). Evidence is growing to link precursors of amyloid deposition in the brain and pancreas with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Given these similarities, we questioned whether there may be a common underlying mechanism predisposing to islet and cerebral amyloid. To address this, we first examined the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in a community-based controlled study, the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer Disease Patient Registry (ADPR), which follows patients with Alzheimer disease versus control subjects without Alzheimer disease. In addition to this clinical study, we performed a pathological study of autopsy cases from this same community to determine whether there is an increased prevalence of islet amyloid in patients with Alzheimer disease and increased prevalence of cerebral amyloid in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients who were enrolled in the ADPR (Alzheimer disease n = 100, non-Alzheimer disease control subjects n = 138) were classified according to fasting glucose concentration (FPG) as nondiabetic (FPG <110 mg/dl), impaired fasting glucose (IFG, FPG 110–125 mg/dl), and type 2 diabetes (FPG >126 mg/dl). The mean slope of FPG over 10 years in each case was also compared between Alzheimer disease and non-Alzheimer disease control subjects. Pancreas and brain were examined from autopsy specimens obtained from 105 humans (first, 28 cases of Alzheimer disease disease vs. 21 non-Alzheimer dis Continue reading >>
Alzheimer's Disease - Alzheimer's Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
Discuss complications in the Diabetes Forum Country guides for people with diabetes travelling abroad Browse test strips and get online VAT relief Join 250,009 people in the Diabetes Forum Alzheimers is a form of dementia which has been found to be closely linked with type 2 diabetes . Alzheimers is characterised by confusion and loss of memory. This is generally diagnosed later in life. Currently Alzheimers cannot be cured but it can be treated to help slow progression of the illness. Alzheimers disease is form of dementia which is thought to affect about 1 in 15 people over the age of 65. The disease is brought on by damage to nerves and cells in the brain, with the early signs of recognisable by confusion, speech difficulties and forgetfulness. The name, Alzheimers, comes from the German psychiatrist, Alois Alzheimer, who first noted the disease. How are type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers linked? The cause of Alzheimers in itself is not well enough understood at present, and the link between Alzheimers and diabetes therefore, is also not clear. However, the two conditions seem to be linked and people who are over 60 with type 2 diabetes are thought to be twice as likely to develop Alzheimers than those without diabetes. One reason why Alzheimers may be more prevalent in people with diabetes is that diabetes can damage the small blood vessels which feed cells and nerves . Damage to these blood vessels can therefore lead to damage to the cells and nerves they feed. If brain cells are damaged in this way, Alzheimers can result. Similarities between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers There are a number of similarities which type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers share. Alzheimers is a progressive illness meaning the condition is expected to gradually worsen over time. As Alzheimers dev Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Dementia - Is There A Connection?
Diabetes and dementia - is there a connection? Diabetes and dementia - is there a connection? What do diabetes and dementia have in common? Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to make enough insulin or use the insulin it makes properly. Insulin is a hormone used by the body to control glucose levels, or the amount of sugar, in your blood. Glucose is one of the main sources of fuel for the body, providing energy the body needs to perform all necessary functions. There are two main types of diabetes type 1 and type 2. A third type, gestational diabetes, occurs temporarily during pregnancy.Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be a risk factor for Alzheimers disease, vascular dementia and other types of dementia because cardiovascular problems associated with diabetes are also associated with dementia. These include: Heart disease or family history of heart disease Research has also proved that, similar to diabetes, glucose is not used properly in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease. This may be caused by nerve cell death, which reduces the brains ability to interpret messages.In the case of vascular dementia, brain cells die due to lack of oxygen, preventing brain cells from communicating with each other. Beta amyloid plaques, which build up in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease, have also been shown to prevent insulin receptors in the brain from doing their job. This can impact insulin production and cause brain cells to become insensitive to insulin. Is Alzheimers disease type 3 diabetes? Recent studies suggest that the brains of people with Alzheimers disease are in a diabetic state, partly due to the decrease in or insensitivity to insulin.There are many similarities in the brains of people with diabetes and the brains of people with Alzh Continue reading >>
Atherosclerosis And Alzheimer - Diseases With A Common Cause? Inflammation, Oxysterols, Vasculature
Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer - diseases with a common cause? Inflammation, oxysterols, vasculature 1,2,3 Alexandra Sapronova ,1,2,4 and Yuri Kotelevtsev 1,2,5,6 1State University of Pushchino, Prospekt Nauki, Pushchino 142290, Moscow Region, Russia 2Pushchino Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290 Moscow Region, Russia 3Pieta Research, PO Box 27069, Edinburgh EH10 5YW, UK 1State University of Pushchino, Prospekt Nauki, Pushchino 142290, Moscow Region, Russia 2Pushchino Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290 Moscow Region, Russia 4Optical Research Group, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biophysics of Development, Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia 1State University of Pushchino, Prospekt Nauki, Pushchino 142290, Moscow Region, Russia 2Pushchino Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290 Moscow Region, Russia 5Biomedical Centre for Research Education and Innovation (CREI), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo 143025, Russia 6Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK 1State University of Pushchino, Prospekt Nauki, Pushchino 142290, Moscow Region, Russia 2Pushchino Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290 Moscow Region, Russia 3Pieta Research, PO Box 27069, Edinburgh EH10 5YW, UK 4Optical Research Group, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biophysics of Development, Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia 5Biomedical Centre for Research Education and Innovation (CREI), S Continue reading >>
Pathophysiologic Relationship Between Alzheimer's Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease, And Cardiovascular Risk: A Review And Synthesis - Sciencedirect
Special Section: Vascular Contributions to Alzheimer's Disease Pathophysiologic relationship between Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular risk: A review and synthesis As the population ages due to demographic trends and gains in life expectancy, the incidence and prevalence of dementia increases, and the need to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of dementia becomes ever more urgent. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a complex disease, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. The more we learn about AD, the more questions are raised about our current conceptual models of disease. In the absence of a cure or the means by which to slow disease progress, it may be prudent to apply our current knowledge of the intersection between AD, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease to foster efforts to delay or slow the onset of AD. This review discusses our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetics, and pathophysiology of AD, the intersection between AD and vascular causes of dementia, and proposes future directions for research and prevention. Continue reading >>
Atherosclerosis, Dementia, And Alzheimers Disease In The Blsa Cohort
Atherosclerosis, Dementia, and Alzheimers Disease in the BLSA Cohort We are experimenting with display styles that make it easier to read articles in PMC. The ePub format uses eBook readers, which have several "ease of reading" features already built in. The ePub format is best viewed in the iBooks reader. You may notice problems with the display of certain parts of an article in other eReaders. Generating an ePub file may take a long time, please be patient. Atherosclerosis, Dementia, and Alzheimers Disease in the BLSA Cohort Hillary Dolan, Barbara Crain, [...], and Richard J OBrien Although it is now accepted that asymptomatic cerebral infarcts are an important cause of dementia in the elderly, the relationship between atherosclerosis per se and dementia is controversial. Specifically, it is unclear whether atherosclerosis can cause the neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that define Alzheimer neuropathology and whether atherosclerosis, a potentially reversible risk factor, can influence cognition independent of brain infarcts. We examined the relationship between systemic atherosclerosis, Alzheimer type pathology and dementia in autopsies from 200 participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), a prospective study of the effect of aging on cognition, 175 of whom had complete body autopsies. Using a quantitative analysis of atherosclerosis in the aorta, heart and intracranial vessels, we found no relationship between the degree of atherosclerosis in any of these systems and the degree of Alzheimers type brain pathology. However, we found that the presence of intracranial but not coronary or aortic atherosclerosis significantly increased the odds of dementia, independent of cerebral infarction. Given the large number of individuals with intr Continue reading >>
Link Between Vascular Disease And Alzheimer's Strengthened
Link between vascular disease and Alzheimer's strengthened The more risk factors for vascular disease one has in middle age, the higher the risk may be of developing Alzheimer's disease in later life. This is the conclusion of a new study published in JAMA. A higher number of risk factors for vascular disease in midlife could raise the risk of dementia, researchers suggest. Vascular disease is defined as any condition that affects the circulatory system - the vessels that carry the blood to and from the heart. Types of vascular disease include atherosclerosis , the hardening or narrowing of the arteries due to plaque buildup, and peripheral artery disease , the narrowing of the arteries in the limbs. Obesity , high cholesterol , high blood pressure , diabetes , and smoking are some of the common risk factors for vascular disease. Previous studies have suggested a link between vascular disease risk factors during midlife and increased risk of later-life dementia - particularly Alzheimer's disease , the most common form of dementia. However, Dr. Rebecca F. Gottesman - of the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD - and colleagues note that it has been unclear as to whether these risk factors are directly associated with the buildup of beta-amyloid in the brain. Beta-amyloid is a protein associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. The protein can accumulate in the brain, forming "plaques" that disrupt communication between nerve cells. With the help of positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging, Dr. Gottesman and team sought to gain a better understanding of how risk factors for vascular disease might affect beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain. Vascular disease risk factors linked to higher beta-amyloid Continue reading >>
The Alarming Diabetes-alzheimer’s Connection
The possible complications posed by diabetes—heart disease and damage to eyes, feet, nerves and so forth—are fairly familiar to the general public. But in recent years, scientists have been scrutinizing a risk that is both less well known and less understood—the heightened likelihood of dementia. Researchers have known for several years about diabetes and the higher risk of vascular dementia, the second most common kind. In ways, it seems only logical: Vascular dementia is caused by damaged blood vessels in the brain, just as diabetes hardens blood vessels elsewhere. The latest research is focused on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder and one for which it’s harder to figure out the precise relationship with diabetes. On this much, many scientists agree: The rate of Alzheimer’s disease could be cut by close to half if diabetes could be abolished. The connection between the two is so strong that Suzanne M. de la Monte, one of the top researchers in the field, has said that many cases of Alzheimer’s could be dubbed Type 3 diabetes. People who haven’t necessarily developed diabetes might still develop insulin resistance in the brain, said de la Monte, a professor of neurosurgery, pathology and laboratory medicine at Brown University. That’s why she uses the term Type 3 diabetes—one doesn’t necessarily cause the other. But in both cases, she said, people show certain markers at the cellular level. “Growing evidence supports the concept that Alzheimer’s disease is fundamentally a metabolic disease with molecular and biochemical features that correspond with diabetes mellitus and other peripheral insulin resistance disorders,” de la Monte wrote in 2014 in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology. But the picture is more comp Continue reading >>
Atherosclerosis Is Alzheimer's Disease Of Blood Vessels, Study Suggests
Follow all of ScienceDaily's latest research news and top science headlines ! Atherosclerosis is Alzheimer's disease of blood vessels, study suggests In atherosclerosis, plaque builds up on the inner walls of arteries that deliver blood to the body. Studying mice and tissue samples from the arteries of patients, researchers now suggest this accumulation is driven, at least in part, by processes similar to the plaque formation implicated in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. In atherosclerosis, plaque builds up on the inner walls of arteries that deliver blood to the body. Studying mice and tissue samples from the arteries of patients, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest this accumulation is driven, at least in part, by processes similar to the plaque formation implicated in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The image shows a cross section of a mouse aorta, the main artery in the body, with a large plaque. Red lines near the top are the wall of the aorta. The plaque contains a dysfunctional buildup of immune cells called macrophages (pink) and protein waste (green). In atherosclerosis, plaque builds up on the inner walls of arteries that deliver blood to the body. Studying mice and tissue samples from the arteries of patients, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest this accumulation is driven, at least in part, by processes similar to the plaque formation implicated in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The image shows a cross section of a mouse aorta, the main artery in the body, with a large plaque. Red lines near the top are the wall of the aorta. The plaque contains a dysfunctional buildup of immune cells called macrophages (pink) and pr Continue reading >>
Does Atherosclerosis Put You At Risk For Alzheimer's?
Can atherosclerosis in the brain cause Alzheimer's or dementia? My husband has this and refuses to take a blood thinner. Does that increase his risk? Yes, atherosclerosis is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and for vascular dementia. Atherosclerosis, or thickening of the artery walls, occurs in blood vessels all over the body, but we usually think about it being a condition of the heart and legs. In both cases it reduces the amount of blood flow to the tissues and therefore the amount of oxygen they get. If a blood vessel in the heart gets completely blocked, it results in a heart attack, which is the heart muscle dying from lack of oxygen. When the same process happens in the brain it is called a stroke. But even if someone doesn't have a stroke, atherosclerosis in the brain can contribute to dementia. We can all help lower our risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia by doing things that keep our heart and blood vessels healthy, such as eating a low fat, healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, and controlling high blood pressure and diabetes. When atherosclerosis is present, aspirin (a blood thinner) has been shown to help reduce the risk of heart attacks. However, experts don't yet know if aspirin can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. As for other blood thinners, such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Plavix (clopidogrel), there is no evidence that these should be used to prevent Alzheimer's disease in patients with atherosclerosis. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Mellitus And Alzheimer's Disease: Shared Pathology And Treatment?
Diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease: shared pathology and treatment? Kawser Akter , Emily A Lanza , Stephen A Martin , Natalie Myronyuk , Melanie Rua , and Robert B Raffa Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, USA Professor Robert B. Raffa PhD, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University School of Pharmacy, 3307 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.Tel.: +1 215 707 4976 Fax: +1 215 707 5228 E-mail: [email protected] Received 2010 May 28; Accepted 2010 Sep 22. Copyright 2011 The British Pharmacological Society This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Epidemiological and basic science evidence suggest a possible shared pathophysiology between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has even been hypothesized that AD might be type 3 diabetes. The present review summarizes some of the evidence for the possible link, putative biochemical pathways and ongoing clinical trials of antidiabetic drugs in AD patients. The primary and review literature were searched for articles published in peer-reviewed sources that were related to a putative connection between T2DM and AD. In addition, public sources of clinical trials were searched for the relevant information regarding the testing of antidiabetic drugs in AD patients. The evidence for a connection between T2DM and AD is based upon a variety of diverse studies, but definitive biochemical mechanisms remain unknown. Additional study is needed to prove the existence or the extent of a link between T2DM and AD, but sufficient evidence exists to warrant further study. Presently, AD patients might benefit from treatment with pharmacotherapy currently used to treat T2DM and clinical trials of such therapy are currently underway. Keywords: Alzheimer Continue reading >>
Connections Between Diabetes And Alzheimer’s Disease
Relatively recently, it has been proposed that Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a form of diabetes that primarily affects the nerve cells of the brain.[1],[2] Many researchers and physicians now refer to AD as Type3Diabetes or T3D. Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia characterized by loss of short-term memory, confusion, forgetfulness and difficulties in speech. Later stages can be characterized by delusional thinking, repetitive behaviors, loss of long-term memory, sometime rapid mood swings and incontinence. It can only be definitively diagnosed by autopsy and microscopic examination of the brain when large amounts of protein (beta amyloid, tau) show up as tangled “threads” in the nerve cells. Currently, there is no blood or other test to diagnose AD. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to affect 20% of those over 65 to varying degrees. By the time an individual is in their 80s, the chances that they will show signs of AD reach 50%. AD, like T1D and T2D is a slowly progressive disease with both environmental and genetic factors at play. Studies have indicated that those individuals with T2D have a 50-65% higher risk of AD. Also, both AD and T2D are chronic inflammatory diseases with evidence of similar types of damage (oxidative) to the cells of the body. Most importantly, recent evidence indicates that the nerve cells of the brain show insulin resistance and resistance to another hormone, insulin-like growth factor or IGF. Insulin resistance and IGF resistance is considered a sign of prediabetes. Since glucose (blood sugar) is the primary source of energy for brain cells, it is thought likely that the increasing degree of insulin and IGF resistance essentially starves the brain cells of its most importance energy source. Over the long ter Continue reading >>
The Link Between Insulin Resistance, Alzheimers, & Type 3 Diabetes
Research shows that people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of getting Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia later in life. Scientists think there are a few ways that problems with blood sugar control can lead to problems with your memory and thinking. When your cells don't use insulin the way they should, that affects the mechanics of your brain . Your cells don't get the fuel they need, so your brain can't work right. Your blood sugar goes up, and over time, that can cause harmful fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Too much insulin can throw off the balance of chemicals in your brain . These effects on the brain are so strong that some scientists feel that Alzheimer's related to insulin resistance should be called "type 3 diabetes ." With diabetes , you're at greater risk for a heart attack or stroke . And high blood sugar levels can trigger inflammation . None of that is good for your blood vessels. Damaged vessels in your brain could lead to Alzheimer's . Inflammation can also make your cells insulin resistant, especially if you're obese . High blood sugar has been linked to higher levels of protein pieces called beta amyloid. When these clump together, they get stuck between the nerve cells in your brain and block signals. Nerve cells that can't talk to each other is a main trait of Alzheimer's . Your cells are constantly moving food and other supplies along pathways like railroad tracks. A protein called tau helps these tracks that run into, out of, and through the cells stay in straight rows. But in a brain with Alzheimer's, tau gets tangled up. The tracks fall apart, and cells die because they can't move stuff to where they need it. Some studies suggest that people with diabetes have more tangled tau in their brains. That coul Continue reading >>
