Individuals With Poorly Controlled Type 1 Diabetes May Have More Risk of Dementia

According to research published in Neurology, individuals with type 1 diabetes who have been to the hospital at some point for hypo- or hyperglycemia may be at 6 times more risk for developing dementia years later. The study found individuals with type 1 diabetes who visited the hospital once for hypo- or hyperglycemia may be at greater risk for developing dementia. After adjusting for age (see Table), sex, and ethnicity, persons with hypoglycemia had a 75% greater risk of developing dementia and those with hyperglycemia had more than twice the risk.. 

  
“For people with diabetes, both severely high and low blood sugar levels are emergencies and both extremes can largely be avoided. However, when they do occur, they can lead to coma, increased hospitalization and even death,” said study author Rachel A. Whitmer, PhD, of the University of California Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento, CA. “People with type 1 diabetes are living longer than before, which may place them at risk of conditions such as dementia. If we can potentially decrease their risk of dementia by controlling their blood sugar levels, that could have beneficial effects for individuals and public health overall." 

The study evaluated at 2,821 individuals with type 1 diabetes at an average age of 56 years. Of the individuals, 398 (14%) had a history of severe hypoglycemia, 335 (12%) had a history of severe hyperglycemia and 87 (3%) had both. There was a follow up for 7 years to determine who had been diagnosed with dementia. Data showed that 153 (5%) individuals developed dementia. 

“Our findings suggest that exposure to severe glycemic events may have long-term consequences on brain health and should be considered additional motivation for people with diabetes to avoid severe glycemic events throughout their lifetime,” Whitmer said.