A study presented last year at the 10th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders suggests a link between pre-diabetes and an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's.

The nine year study followed a total of 1,173 people in Sweden. The criteria for pre-diabetes (borderline diabetes) was a random plasma glucose level of 140-197 mg/dl or 7.8-11.0 mmol/l. At the end of the study, researchers found that having pre-diabetes increased the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The risk became even higher when pre-diabetes was coupled with chronic high blood pressure.

Impaired glucose and insulin resistance with resulting elevated blood glucose levels can cause microvascular changes in brain tissue which can lead to dementia and Alzheimers.

According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, pre-diabetes is estimated to affect 54 million people in the U.S. today. A fasting plasma blood glucose of 100-125 mg/dl or blood glucose level of 140-199 after an oral glucose tolerance test indicates insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes can lead to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes later on. It is possible to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and also to reverse pre-diabetes, by switching to healthier eating habits, losing weight, and exercising.

Sources

Weili Xu, Chengxuan Qiu, Bengt Winblad, and Laura Fratiglioni, "The Effect of Borderline Diabetes on the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease." Diabetes 562007 211-216. 26 Apr 2007