According to a new study, type 2 diabetes may hinder the clearance of proteins related to Alzheimer’s, suggesting that controlling blood sugar levels may help reduce cognitive risks.
People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders. A recent study by Umeå University in Sweden has revealed that this higher risk may be attributable to the difficulty people with type 2 diabetes have eliminating a disease-related protein.
The study’s first author and senior professor at Umeå University’s Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Olov Rolandsson, stated that the findings might be crucial for future research into potential therapies to reduce the likelihood that individuals with type 2 diabetes will develop Alzheimer’s disease [1].
The researchers analyzed two compounds of beta-amyloids, which are among the most significant constituents of the plaques that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
The Recent Research on Beta-Amyloids
Alzheimer’s and other cognitive issues are more common in those with type 2 diabetes. According to a recent study from Umeå University in Sweden, type 2 diabetics may find it more difficult to eliminate a protein that may be the source of their condition [2].
The study included ten participants with type 2 diabetes and eleven people without the disease in the control group. The age range of the participants was 66–72.
The research team evaluated the blood concentrations of beta-amyloids Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42, as well as an enzyme that degrades beta-amyloids, in a test group with type 2 diabetes and a healthy control group. Repeated samples were taken from both groups after a four-hour glucose infusion that raised the individuals’ blood sugar levels to an acute state known as acute hyperglycemia.
The groups exhibited similar values immediately after sugar solution infusion. Soon, beta-amyloid levels dropped dramatically in the control group while the levels of the amyloid-degrading enzyme increased. There were no changes in the group with type 2 diabetes: beta-amyloid levels did not decrease, nor did the enzyme that breaks down amyloid increase.
The Findings
According to the findings, people with type 2 diabetes may have a lower ability to eliminate beta-amyloid than healthy people, increasing the risk of it being retained in the brain and causing cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Olov Rolandsson stated that more research is required to substantiate the findings of this limited study. Hopefully, it will eventually lead to new treatments. However, the results emphasize how crucial it is to prevent type 2 diabetes as much as possible and how those who already have it should minimize their high blood sugar episodes.
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References
- New Research Reveals Why Diabetes Could Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease. SciTech Daily. https://scitechdaily.com/new-research-reveals-why-diabetes-could-lead-to-alzheimers-disease/. Published Online: 22nd August, 2024. Accessed: 11th September, 2024.
- Rolandsson, O., Tornevi, A., Steneberg, P., Edlund, H., Olsson, T., Andreasson, U., Zetterberg, H. and Blennow, K., 2024. Acute Hyperglycemia Induced by Hyperglycemic Clamp Affects Plasma Amyloid-β in Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, (Preprint), pp.1-14.
