Diabetes and Hypertension Linked to Brain Cell Loss

A study of 1,437 people with an average age of 80 has revealed that people who were diagnosed with diabetes or high-blood-pressure in middle-age (40 to 64-years) are more likely to have brain damage and problems with thinking and memory when they get older. Rosebud O. Roberts, MB, ChB, MS, of the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues found that the brain volume of participants who developed diabetes in middle-age was, on average, 2.9% smaller compared to those who were not diagnosed in middle-age. While in the hippocampus area of the brain, the volume was 4% smaller. Furthermore, they were twice as likely to have thinking and memory problems. Meanwhile, participants who developed high blood pressure in middle-age were twice as likely to have areas of brain damage compared to those who were not diagnosed in middle-age. "Potentially, if we can prevent or control diabetes and high blood pressure in middle-age, we can prevent or delay the brain damage that occurs decades later and leads to memory and thinking problems and dementia." concluded Roberts.