Research from the Karolinska Institutet has confirmed that both diabetes and prediabetes are correlated with accelerated brain aging. It has been estimated that there are approximately 540 million people worldwide with diabetes, with around 98% of those individuals having type 2 diabetes. Additionally, there are approximately 720 million people worldwide with prediabetes. Previous studies have linked diabetes and prediabetes to an increased risk for brain-related health issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Abigail Dove, a PhD student at the Aging Research Centre at the Karolinska Institutet, led a study that found making healthy lifestyle choices, such as not smoking, may help counteract the negative impacts of diabetes on the brain.
For the study, researchers analyzed MRI brain scans of more than 31,000 individuals between the ages of 40 and 70 from the UK Biobank. They found that both prediabetes and diabetes were associated with brains that were older than a person’s chronological age. Specifically, prediabetes was correlated with brains that were 0.5 years older, while diabetes was correlated with brains that were 2.3 years older. Abigail Dove explained that there are several potential biological pathways through which diabetes may impact brain health, such as hyperglycemia promoting endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Additionally, insulin resistance in diabetes has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease-related processes.
The study also found that the gap between brain age and chronological age increased slightly over time in participants with diabetes. However, this association was reduced in individuals who engaged in high physical activity, did not smoke, and abstained from heavy alcohol consumption. The study divided participants into groups based on their glycemic status and lifestyle choices, finding that the gap between brain age and chronological age was significantly smaller in the diabetes group that practiced healthy lifestyle behaviors. This indicates that lifestyle choices, such as not smoking and engaging in physical activity, can help offset the negative influence of diabetes on brain health.
Scott Kaiser, MD, a board-certified geriatrician, emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and effectively managing diabetes to reduce the risk of dementia. He highlighted the need for interventions that leverage this information to promote brain health and reduce dementia risk, especially as the population ages and the number of individuals with dementia is predicted to rise. While the study showed associations, causality is not yet fully established, and more prospective studies are needed to confirm the direct impact and pathways between diabetes and brain health. Nonetheless, the study provides valuable insights into lifestyle interventions that can potentially improve brain health both at the individual and population levels.
