Diabetes and Inflammation: Accelerating Brain Aging and Dementia Risk

A recent study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden reveals that high glucose levels and inflammation can accelerate brain aging, thereby increasing the risk of dementia.

Using an AI tool, the team analyzed brain images of 739 cognitively healthy individuals aged 70 to determine the brain’s biological age. They found that conditions like diabetes, stroke, cerebral small vessel disease, and inflammation were associated with brains that appeared older, while healthy lifestyles, including regular exercise, were linked to younger-looking brains.

The study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, involved MRI scans and blood samples to measure lipids, glucose, and inflammation. The AI estimated the average brain age for both sexes to be 71 years.

Researchers then calculated the “brain age gap” by subtracting the participants’ estimated biological brain age from their chronological age. Lead author Anna Marseglia emphasized the importance of maintaining healthy blood vessels to protect brain health, highlighting the need for stable blood glucose levels. The team plans to further explore how resilience-building may differ between men and women in future studies.