Type 2 Diabetes May Be Linked to Alzheimer's Disease Risk
May 28, 2024
Researchers report that evidence suggests Type 2 diabetes may be linked to Alzheimer's disease risk.
It could be a combination of a family history of Alzheimer's disease and elevated blood sugar that starts at a young age and is uncontrolled throughout life, according to Elizabeth Bower, M.D., is a board certified primary care physician with Mercy Personal Physicians at Ellicott City. Dr. Bower said the prevalence of diabetes in people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is high. Statistics show 49 percent of Americans over the age of 65 have elevated blood sugars.
"The changes in the insulin and the blood sugar in the body are also reflected in the changes of insulin and blood sugar in the brain, and the brain is a very metabolically active organ," Dr. Bower said.
Dr. Bower noted that pre-diabetes is being seen in children, adding that women are usually screened for diabetes during their first pregnancy if they haven't already been checked.
About Mercy
Founded in 1874 in Downtown Baltimore by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a 183-licensed bed, acute care, university-affiliated teaching hospital. Mercy has been recognized as a high-performing Maryland hospital (U.S. News & World Report); has achieved an overall 5-Star quality, safety, and patient experience rating (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services); is A-rated for Hospital Safety (Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade); and is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet™ hospital. Mercy Health Services is a not-for-profit health system and the parent company of Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Personal Physicians.
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