Common disease can increase your risk of developing dementia later in life

19 September 2023 , 18:42

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Kevin Jameson, president, CEO and chairman of the board of the Dementia Society, says diabetes can put you at higher risk for dementia

A common disease that afflicts over 37 million Americans — over 11% of the population — could place patients at a higher risk of developing dementia later in life, especially if left untreated, says a dementia expert.

Diabetes results from the body's inability to regulate or properly use insulin, which is a hormone that regulates the absorption of glucose in the blood, according to the National Institutes of Health. People with diabetes struggle to absorb glucose in their cells, which essentially leads to their starvation.

That extra glucose, if left untreated, can also lead to the constriction of blood vessels in the brain, says Kevin Jameson, the president, founder, CEO and board chairman of the Dementia Society of America.

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Diabetes is a risk factor for vascular dementia, says a dementia expert (Getty Images)

"You can end up with the brain and the vascular system trying to overcome that excess sugar in your bloodstream," he said. And that's bad, considering many forms of dementia are caused by a buildup of the protein amyloid beta in the brain, he added.

With the brain already inflamed by the buildup of the toxic protein, heightened levels of glucose would simply add to that, leading to the death of more brain cells, essentially speeding up the progression of the syndrome.

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"It's often thought that the brain is trying to protect itself by sending in 'the army,' which creates inflammation in the brain," Jameson explained. "It's that inflammation in the brain that can lead to problems, such as a build-up of beta amyloid, which is that sticky substance in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease."

Common disease can increase your risk of developing dementia later in life

Diabetes can lead to build-ups in arteries and blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of dementia (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)

Diabetes is a risk factor specifically in vascular dementia, which the National Institute on Aging defines as "changes to memory, thinking, and behaviour resulting from conditions that affect the blood vessels in the brain." Specifically, those conditions "interrupt the flow of blood and oxygen supply to the brain and damage blood vessels."

That ultimately leads to brain cell death or damage to neural pathways, which can cause cognitive problems and result in the symptoms of vascular dementia.

"You can't connect the dots. You have issues such as personality changes, memory loss. You have an inability to walk well. Those are all hallmarks of vascular dementia," Jameson said.

But having diabetes doesn't guarantee dementia later in life, he said. It's simply a risk factor, and like most risk factors for dementia, it can be addressed through treatments or lifestyle changes.

Addressing some lifestyle practices can decrease the risk of dementia and also help with diabetes (Getty Images/Maskot)

He recommends exercising and increasing the flow of blood around the body, which can also reduce high blood pressure — another risk factor for vascular dementia.

Experts typically recommend treating diabetes by eating healthier, getting regular physical activity and losing excess weight, though medication like insulin is generally also required, especially for those with type 1 diabetes.

Reducing or eliminating bad habits like smoking and excessive drinking is another way to stave off the symptoms of dementia, Jameson said, and could also be healthy for those living with diabetes.

Ultimately, however, he emphasised that "there's not been a silver bullet to stop or reverse dementia" — brain degeneration is a "natural part of life," he said. But it can be delayed, even sometimes until after death.

"You basically want to live the best possible life you can before that happens," he said. "It may not be that you're going to stop dementia from coming your way in the future, but you can do a lot to mitigate the risks so you can stave off and possibly outlive it."