Diabetes, Alzheimer's link possible

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040518/HDIA

BETES18/TPHealth/

.... The five cognitive systems that were tested included: episodic memory

(memory of specific life events), semantic memory (general knowledge),

working memory (ability to hold and mentally rearrange information),

perceptual speed (the speed with which simple perceptual comparisons can be

made, such as whether two strings of numbers are the same or different), and

visuospatial ability (the ability to recognize spatial patterns).

In all cases, the study participants with diabetes had lower score ...

The researchers calculated that having diabetes increased the risk of

developing Alzheimer's disease by about 65 per cent...

The role of diabetes in this process is not entirely clear. Diabetes is

already an established risk factor for stroke, which can cause some forms of

dementia. Some researchers also think the metabolic changes related to

diabetes affect brain arteries and promote the clumping of a protein called

beta-amyloid, the formal name for the gooey plaque. Insulin levels can also

affect memory. ...