Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is more than just having high blood sugar, it will also lay waste to your brain and cognitive function. Of course, based on the multiple co-morbidities associated with DM2, this of no surprise.

Published in journal, eLife, researchers, utilizing data from the UK Biobank for 20,000 people between the ages of 50 and 80 years old, conducted a comprehensive study on the effects of DM2 on common brain age related changes compared to those without the medical condition. They then confirmed their study to a meta-analysis of over 100 other studies.

Commonly in aging, as time goes on, people experience deterioration with their executive functions including working memory, learning new information, processing speed, and agile thinking.

Researchers found that people with DM2 experienced an additional 13.1% worsening in executive function beyond normal age-related changes. People with DM2 also experienced 6.7% worsening in processing speed.

Additionally, the researchers were able to look at brain scan data comparing people with DM2 and people with out. The MRI imaging showed that people with DM2 had overall more loss of important grey matter in the brain compared to what would be experience with normal aging. For instance, DM2 subjects had a 6.2% decrease in grey matter of the ventral striatum, an area of the brain crucial for executive functioning.

Overall, neurodegeneration of the brain was accelerated by DM2 with continued progression of the condition leading to 26% acceleration of brain aging.

DM2 isn’t just high blood sugar or regular doctor visits, it’s a serious medical condition caused mostly by our lifestyles choices that with continued progression will rot your brain and wreck havoc in other parts of your body.

B Antal et al. Type 2 diabetes mellitus accelerates brain aging and cognitive decline: Complementary findings from UK Biobank and meta-analyses. eLife. DOI:10.7554/eLife.73138