More than 35 million patients suffer from dementia, while 380 million battle against diabetes in this aging society. Emerging evidence suggests that diabetes increases the risk of dementia; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Clinical studies have suggested that diabetes is associated with brain atrophy, including the frontal and temporal lobes, and symptomatically decreased executive function, information processing, memory, and other cognitive functions. Diabetes thus appears to affect cognitive function not only by simple Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-dependent mechanisms, but also independent mechanisms. Diabetes compromises cerebrovascular function, increases the risk of subcortical infarction, and also affects glucose metabolism, insulin signaling, and mitochondrial function in neurons. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that lipid and glucose metabolism is implicated in modulating the pathogenesis of AD. Further discussion on the relation between diabetes and AD is strongly encouraged from both basic and clinical aspects.
More than 35 million patients suffer from dementia, while 380 million battle against diabetes in this aging society. Emerging evidence suggests that diabetes increases the risk of dementia; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Clinical studies have suggested that diabetes is associated with brain atrophy, including the frontal and temporal lobes, and symptomatically decreased executive function, information processing, memory, and other cognitive functions. Diabetes thus appears to affect cognitive function not only by simple Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-dependent mechanisms, but also independent mechanisms. Diabetes compromises cerebrovascular function, increases the risk of subcortical infarction, and also affects glucose metabolism, insulin signaling, and mitochondrial function in neurons. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that lipid and glucose metabolism is implicated in modulating the pathogenesis of AD. Further discussion on the relation between diabetes and AD is strongly encouraged from both basic and clinical aspects.