A new study from Karolinska Institutet suggests that type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are linked to accelerated brain aging. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle may significantly counteract these effects, providing hope for millions affected by these conditions.
Striking new findings from Karolinska Institutet reveal that type 2 diabetes and prediabetes may accelerate brain aging, but a healthy lifestyle could reverse this trend. The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, highlights the potential for lifestyle changes to influence brain health positively.
The study examined over 31,000 individuals between the ages of 40 and 70 from the UK Biobank who had undergone MRI brain scans. Using machine learning, the researchers assessed brain age relative to chronological age, uncovering that type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are linked to brain ages 2.3 and 0.5 years older than their actual chronological age, respectively. This gap increased drastically to over four years in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes.
“Having an older-appearing brain for one’s chronological age can indicate deviation from the normal aging process and may constitute an early warning sign for dementia,” lead author Abigail Dove, who is a doctoral student at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet, said in a news release. “On the positive side, it seems that people with diabetes may be able to influence their brain health through healthy living.”
Interestingly, the study found that the adverse effects on brain aging were less pronounced in individuals who maintained high physical activity levels, refrained from smoking and avoided heavy alcohol consumption.
“There’s a high and growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the population,” Dove added. “We hope that our research will help prevent cognitive impairment and dementia in people with diabetes and prediabetes.”
This pioneering research carries substantial implications. As the rates of type 2 diabetes rise globally, the study illuminates a path to mitigating one of its most troubling complications — accelerated brain aging.
Comprehensive follow-up MRI scans will continue as researchers delve deeper into the nuances of diabetes and brain health over time. For patients, this study underscores the powerful role of lifestyle in safeguarding not just physical, but also cognitive health in the face of diabetes.