Study: Diabetics at Greater Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease

Diabetics have a much greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study reported in the May issue of the Archives of Neurology.

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago followed 824 Catholic nuns, priests, and brothers for an average of 5.5 years and found that 151 of them developed Alzheimer’s, including 31 who had diabetes. The researchers found that diabetics had a 65 percent increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who did not have diabetes.

The researchers also found that diabetics suffered a 44 percent increased rate of cognitive function decline over time than non-diabetics. However, they were unable to say whether this occurred because of the changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease or some other common age-related conditions like stroke or other vascular complications.

"The research on a possible link between diabetes and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease is intriguing, and this study gives us important additional insights," said Neil Buckholtz, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Aging. "Further research, some currently underway, will tell us whether therapies for diabetes may in fact play a role in lowering risk of Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline."

"Researchers have not yet found a cure for Alzheimer's disease, but if we can identify factors that influence one’s risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, this may allow us to make progress towards identifying factors that decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease," said study author Dr. Zoe Arvanitakis, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center.

Previous work done by Rush researchers has shown that remaining intellectually active and eating a diet high in Vitamin E may be important ways to decrease the risk of AD, according to David Bennett, M.D., director of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. By contrast, depression and the tendency to be stressed may increase risk of the disease, he added.

Other sources: Rush University Medical Center