Many of us are acquainted with one or more people who suffer
from some level of diabetes. Therefore
we are all familiar, to some degree, with the toll it can have on the human
body. One of the most common forms of
diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. Research has indicated that Type 2
impairs blood flow to the brain and, as a result, leads to a sharper decline in
mental awareness over time. The cognitive
ability of 40 subjects of about 66 years was put to the test; half of the group
was diagnosed with diabetes, the other 20 were the control. They completed an initial set of tests, and
then a set of follow up tests two years later to determine any possible cognitive
decline correlated with the presence of the disease. It seemed that at the end of the period, the
subjects known to have diabetes showed a greater decline in gray matter volume, mental test scores,
and blood flow in the brain.
The researchers found a positive correlation between blood
flow to the brain and test scores. The
subjects that were diagnosed with diabetes suffered from a lower rate of blood
flow, and therefore had a more difficult time scoring on the cognitive
tests. The findings of this investigation,
at face value, are an important find.
The test should be repeated, however, to eliminate external pressures on
the results. Nonetheless, it is an
important starting point to understanding the many side affects diabetes can
have on us or our loved ones.
