Type 2 diabetes' adverse brain changes become more severe due to excessive body weight.
Revamped Analysis: How the Combination of Diabetes and Obesity Impacts the Brain
Researchers have uncovered some troubling news for people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight or have obesity - their brains may suffer from more severe and progressive structural abnormalities and cognitive decline compared to those with diabetes but a healthier weight. Dr. Sunjung Yoon, Dr. In Kyoon Lyoo, and Hanbyul Cho, together with a team of scientists, have published their findings in the journal Diabetologia.
The collaboration, which involved scientists from Ewha Brain Institute at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, and The Brain Institute at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, sheds light on the detrimental effects of diabetes and obesity on the brain.
It's common knowledge that both conditions can wreak havoc on numerous organs, including the brain. For instance, type 2 diabetes is linked to the progression of cognitive dysfunction and an increased risk of dementia, as scientists believe that metabolic dysfunctions such as insulin resistance, inflammation, and poor sugar level control might contribute to brain alterations linked with type 2 diabetes.
In a similar vein, obesity can contribute to the development of further conditions and carries a greater risk for type 2 diabetes. Moreover, obesity is associated with metabolic dysfunction, which can worsen the metabolic abnormalities connected to type 2 diabetes. Since the metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity may impact brain structures and cognitive function independently of type 2 diabetes, it is essential to investigate the combined effects of both conditions on the brain.
While previous research has revealed separate links between obesity, type 2 diabetes, and alterations in the brain, there is a lack of understanding about how these two factors combine to affect the brain. Yoon, Lyoo, Cho, and colleagues aimed to address this gap in their study. They sought to explore the joint effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes on brain structure and cognitive function, as the rising prevalence of obesity may exacerbate the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes.
The study focused on participants recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who had not undergone stable insulin treatment. The team recruited 150 participants aged between 30 and 60 years, dividing them into three groups matched for age and sex. The subgroups comprised 50 people overweight or with obesity and type 2 diabetes, 50 individuals with a healthy weight and type 2 diabetes, and 50 healthy-weight participants.
The researchers employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to analyze participants' brains, focusing on the thickness of the cerebral cortex. They also conducted cognitive assessments to test memory, executive function, and psychomotor speed.
The findings showed that people with type 2 diabetes, regardless of weight status, exhibited significant thinning of gray matter in the temporal, prefrontoparietal, motor, and occipital cortices of the brain. Interestingly, those with diabetes and obesity had more pronounced thinning of the gray matter in the temporal and motor cortices, compared to the group with healthy weights and diabetes. The temporal lobe, in particular, appeared to be particularly affected in individuals with a combination of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
It's worth noting that wasting of the temporal lobe is an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease. The specific changes the research team observed in the study may help shed light on the mechanism linking obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the development of dementia.
The researchers concluded that, while the specific factors contributing to brain alterations are not yet clear, managing insulin resistance during the early stages of type 2 diabetes may help mitigate these effects. Since the study did not include overweight or obese individuals without diabetes, it remains unknown how weight status affects metabolic, brain, and cognitive measures independently of type 2 diabetes.
For those looking to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, research suggests that adopting a diet rich in plant protein may be beneficial.
- The combination of diabetes and obesity might lead to more severe and progressive brain structural abnormalities and cognitive decline compared to diabetes alone.
- Scientists believe metabolic dysfunctions such as insulin resistance, inflammation, and poor sugar level control contribute to these brain alterations linked with type 2 diabetes.
- Obesity, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, can worsen the metabolic abnormalities connected to it, impacting brain structures and cognitive function independently.
- The study by Yoon, Lyoo, Cho, and colleagues aimed to investigate the combined effects of both obesity and type 2 diabetes on the brain and cognitive function.
- The findings demonstrated significant thinning of gray matter in the temporal, prefrontoparietal, motor, and occipital cortices of the brain in people with type 2 diabetes, with more pronounced thinning in those with both obesity and diabetes.
- Wasting of the temporal lobe, observed in the study, is an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease, linking obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the development of dementia.
- Adopting a diet rich in plant protein may be beneficial for preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes.
- The specific factors contributing to brain alterations are not yet clear, with more research needed to understand how weight status affects metabolic, brain, and cognitive measures independently of type 2 diabetes.
