People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age could be at a higher risk of developing dementia than those diagnosed later in life.
That’s according to a recent study by researchers at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing published in PLOS One.
“Our study suggests that there may be cognitive consequences to earlier onset type 2 diabetes, and it points to the need for strategies to prevent dementia that consider both diabetes and obesity,” said Xiang Qi, assistant professor at NYU Meyers and the study’s first author.
Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for developing dementia, but the underlying dynamics are not yet understood. But markers for diabetes including high blood pressure, insulin resistance and inflammation could spur the development of dementia.
According to the study, one in five people with type 2 diabetes are under the age of 40.
The researchers analyzed data between 2002 and 2016 in a longitudinal study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research.
The study included U.S.-based adults over the age of 50 with type 2 diabetes confirmed through blood tests and no record of dementia. The researchers found that over the 14 year study, 17.8% of participants developed dementia.
Those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 50 had a 1.9-times greater risk of developing dementia compared to those diagnosed at age 70.
“While we do not know for sure why an earlier diabetes diagnosis would increase the risk for dementia, prior studies show that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in mid-life may experience more vascular complications, poor blood sugar control, and insulin resistance—all of which are known risk factors for cognitive impairment,” said Bei Wu, the Dean’s Professor in Global Health and vice dean for research at NYU Meyers and the study’s senior author.
Obesity also appears to have played a role in the relationship between type 2 diabetes and dementia, with those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 50 and obese had the highest dementia risk involved in the study.
“Our study highlights the importance of one’s age at diabetes diagnosis and suggests that specifically targeting obesity—whether through diet and exercise or perhaps medication—may play a role in staving off dementia in younger adults with diabetes,” said Wu.
