Men Who Have Diabetes May Also Develop Alzheimer’s Disease

According to the Alzheimer’s Association website (www.alz.org), an estimated 5.2 million people in the United States are living with the disease. It is also estimated that 10 million Baby Boomers will develop Alzheimer’s in their lifetimes. Considered the seventh leading cause of death, Alzheimer’s disease has recently become associated with diabetes. A study published ahead of print in the April 9 online edition of Neurology (www.neurology.org) has determined that adult men who suffer from diabetes are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than their nondiabetic counterparts.

The study originated in 1970 and included 2,322 50-year-old men who were tested for acute insulin response and glucose tolerance. The group was then retested an average of 32 years later. Of the participants, 102 had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, 57 with vascular dementia and 394 with other types of dementia or cognitive impairment. According to the results, “a low insulin response at baseline was associated with a higher cumulative risk of Alzheimer’s disease.” Authors noted that impaired glucose tolerance seemed to be linked with vascular dementia. Further, “impaired insulin secretion, glucose intolerance and estimates of insulin resistance were all associated with higher risk of any dementia and cognitive impairment.”