People with diabetes are at increased risk of going on to
develop Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Arvanitakis presented these findings here April 3rd
at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of
Neurology. "We found that diabetes is associated both with a higher likelihood
of Alzheimer's disease and a greater rate of decline in perceptual speed," said
Dr. Arvanitakis, assistant professor, Department of Neurological Sciences,
Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. This risk is
independent of a history of clinical stroke and whether or not an individual is
a carrier of apolipoprotein E (APOE).
She noted that few prospective studies have assessed diabetes as a risk factor
for either Alzheimer s disease or decline in cognitive function. The existing
studies have had variable results, she said.
Her study enrolled 869 older Catholic nuns, priests, and brothers who were
participants in the Religious Order Study. None of the subjects had dementia at
baseline. The subjects had detailed annual evaluations for up to 8 years that
included a clinical classification of dementia and Alzheimer s disease, as well
as cognitive function testing. From these data, the investigators derived
previously established summary measures.
Among these subjects, 125 (14.4%) had diabetes. They were followed for an
average of 5.1 years. During this time, 141 subjects (16.2%) developed Alzheimer
s disease.
The investigators used a proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, and
education, which showed that people with diabetes had a 73% greater chance of
developing Alzheimer s disease compared to controls (hazard ratio = 1.73, 95%
CI: 1.15,2.61).
In a subsequent analysis the investigators controlled for age, sex, and
education, as well as baseline level of cognition. In this analysis people with
diabetes had a 51% greater rate of decline in perceptual speed (P=0.01).
However, this decline rate was not linked to a rate of decline in either
episodic memory or other cognitive systems.
Study title: Diabetes and Risk of Alzheimer s Disease and Change in Cognitive
Function. Abstract: S58.003
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com.
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