Minnesota [US], March 24 (HBTV): People with type 1 diabetes may face a higher risk of developing dementia, according to a recent study, which also found a similar but comparatively lower risk among those with type 2 diabetes.
The findings indicate an association rather than a direct cause-and-effect relationship between diabetes and dementia. Type 1 diabetes remains relatively rare, accounting for about 5 per cent of all diabetes cases.
'As advances in medical care have extended the lives of people with type 1 diabetes, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the relation of type 1 diabetes to the risk of dementia. We have known that type 2 diabetes is linked to an increased risk of dementia, but this new research suggests that the association may be even stronger for those with type 1 diabetes,' said study author Jennifer Weuve of Boston University.
The study analysed data from 283,772 participants with an average age of 64. Among them, 5,442 had type 1 diabetes and 51,511 had type 2 diabetes. Participants were followed for an average of 2.4 years.
During the study period, 2,348 people developed dementia, including 144 individuals with type 1 diabetes (2.6 per cent), 942 with type 2 diabetes (1.8 per cent), and 1,262 of the 226,819 participants without diabetes (0.6 per cent).
Published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the study found that, after adjusting for factors such as age and education, people with type 1 diabetes were nearly three times more likely to develop dementia compared to those without diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes were found to be twice as likely to develop the condition.
Weuve noted that approximately 65 per cent of dementia cases among people with type 1 diabetes in the study could be attributed to the condition.
'Type 1 diabetes is not common, so this condition accounts for a small fraction of all dementia cases. But for the growing number of people with type 1 diabetes who are over 65 years old, these findings underscore the urgency of understanding how type 1 diabetes influences dementia risk and how it can be prevented or delayed,' she added.
The researchers acknowledged limitations, noting that diagnoses of diabetes and dementia were based on electronic health records and survey data, which may not capture all cases.
A neurologist is a medical specialist trained to diagnose and treat disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system, including conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
(ANI)