According to a study conducted by University of Pittsburgh Schools, it was revealed that “brains of people with type 1 diabetes show signs of accelerated aging that correlate with slower information processing”.

Senior author Caterina Rosano, M.D., M.P. H., associate professor of Pitt Public Health’s Department of Epidemology said that severity of cognitive complications and cerebral small vessel disease which can starve the brain of oxygen is much more intense than they expected, but it can be measured in a clinical setting. He continued saying, further study in younger patients is needed, but it stands to reason that early detection and intervention such as cardiometabolic factors and tighter glycemic control, which help prevent microvascular complications also could reduce or delay these cognitive complications.

Many Type 1 diabetes patients have participated in the study and 33% of the people had moderate to severe levels of white matter hyperintensities when compared with 7% of their non-diabetic counterparts. Responding to the study result, the lead author Karen A.Nunley, Ph.D., stated that people with type 1 diabetes were living longer than ever before. 

The research will be published in the May 19 issue of the journal Neurology.

By Lizitha