New study finds link between diabetes at a young age and dementia in old age

Could the age at which type 1 diabetes develops in childhood affect brain health decades later? This is the question at the center of a new international study recently published in the scientific journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. The study, which involved researchers from Sweden and other countries, examined for the first time whether the age of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is associated with the risk of developing dementia later in life. To this end, data from 43,440 people with type 1 diabetes, included in Sweden's national health databases, were analyzed with a long follow-up period of about 29 years on average.

An increase of 37% in risk

Researchers divided the participants into three groups according to the age of diagnosis: before age 10, between 10 and 17, and between 18 and 30. During the follow-up period, 530 cases of dementia were diagnosed. The study's findings indicated that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before age 10 had a risk of developing dementia later in life that was about 37% higher compared to those diagnosed at ages 18–30. In contrast, among participants diagnosed at ages 10–17, no significant increase in risk was found.

Why does this happen?

The study did not examine the reason for the link found, and therefore cannot determine that type 1 diabetes causes dementia. However, the researchers suggest several possible explanations. One explanation is that a longer duration of the disease exposes the brain for more years to changes in sugar levels and vascular complications. In addition, prolonged fluctuations in glucose levels throughout life may affect the health of the nervous system and increase the risk of cognitive impairment in old age.

Significance for patients

According to the researchers, the findings highlight the importance of long-term medical monitoring of people living with type 1 diabetes from a young age, alongside maintaining a balance of sugar levels and reducing other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. However, they emphasize that this is an observational study, and therefore it cannot be concluded that type 1 diabetes in childhood is the direct cause of dementia development. To understand the biological mechanism behind the link found, further studies will be required.

Key message

The study adds a new layer to the understanding of the long-term consequences of type 1 diabetes, and raises the possibility that the age of diagnosis may have significance even decades after the onset of the disease. The researchers hope that the findings will help in the future to develop prevention and monitoring strategies that will allow for reducing the risk of cognitive decline among people living with type 1 diabetes.