Last Updated on September 4, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
No. There is no scientific evidence that supports diabetes affects all the cases of Alzheimer’s disease. Diabetes is known to increase the risk of dementia but cannot be considered the sole cause of all Alzheimer’s cases.
In Diabetes, the cells are unable to process sugar with the help of insulin. This abnormal condition increases the blood sugar levels that produce fatty deposits in the blood vessels. The fatty deposits block the normal flow of blood and upset the chemical balance in the brain. Such a condition may induce symptoms of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.
In the case of diabetes which is independent of insulin, the high blood sugar levels may increase the production of toxin amyloid protein and tau tangles. Now, the overproduction of toxin amyloid protein and tau tangles in the brain causes Alzheimer’s disease, and so, diabetes is considered an important cause. Since all diabetes patients are not dependent on insulin, the mechanism through which diabetes causes Alzheimer’s disease changes in such cases.
Moreover, the presence of a blood protein called haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) in diabetic people can induce dementia. People with the condition have smaller hippocampal size than normal people. This reduction in size occurs because of HbA1C which prevents the normal hippocampal functions inducing memory loss. Research has also shown that changes in HbA1C can make Alzheimer’s disease hereditary.
Diabetes puts a lot of pressure on the blood vessels as it obstructs the normal flow of blood and blocks nerve communication. In case of high blood sugar levels, the overproduction of toxin amyloid protein and tau tangles can worsen the condition to induce Alzheimer’s disease.
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