Diabetes Causes Early Memory Loss

Recent research in the Netherlands suggests that Type II diabetes can result in cognitive deficits within the first five years, long before the patient realizes they may have memory problems.

Astrid Nooyens headed a team of Dutch researchers at the National Institute for Public Health that noted a decline in memory, mental flexibility and speed of thinking in middle age. While the changes themselves were not severe, they may put diabetic patients at risk for other types of dementia and cognitive disorders in later life. Dr. David Knopman of the Mayo Clinic compared it to riding a bike with an underinflated tire. An additional loss of air would create a greater problem.

The study followed 2,600 patients between the ages of 45 and 70 for five years. At the beginning of the study, 61 participants had adult-onset Type II diabetes. By the five-year mark, an additional 78 had been diagnosed with the disease, totaling 139 participants in all. Patients with diabetes declined in ability to recall words, had declining memory function and thought more slowly.

While the decline in mental function was minor, it was three times greater than the decline for those who were not diabetic. Those who were diagnosed with diabetes during the study actually scored slightly better than healthy participants at information processing.

The changes were not ongoing. Changes in mental function seemed to continue for 5 years after being diagnosed as diabetic, and then stabilize.

Nooyens and the team of researchers suggested that early treatment to stabilize blood sugar for diabetics could increase processing speed but could probably not prevent memory loss. Some of the cognitive deficits could be related to obesity and heart disease, which often occur with diabetes. The researchers noted that there are many reasons to properly control Type II diabetes, including avoiding kidney failure, amputations, heart attack and stroke.

The study did not examine whether better control of diabetes, with stabilized blood sugar, would prevent the problems. However, researchers did note that based on impromptu blood tests performed during the research, the patients with diabetes were not receiving sufficient treatment to keep blood sugar at healthy levels.

By Joni Holderman, [email protected], contributing reporter for Mental Health News.