If you or a loved one is living with type 1 diabetes, you know firsthand the daily challenges of managing blood sugar levels.
From constant monitoring to adjusting insulin doses, it can feel like a never-ending balancing act.
But did you know that the natural ups and downs of glucose levels may also be impacting your brain function?
New research from McLean Hospital sheds light on how these fluctuations can affect cognitive performance, and what it means for your long-term brain health.
The Diabetes-Brain Connection
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects the pancreas, making it unable to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.
While the physical complications of type 1 diabetes, like heart disease and nerve damage, are well-known, the impact on the brain is often overlooked.
Previous studies have linked type 1 diabetes to an increased risk of cognitive impairment and even dementia in older adults. But researchers wanted to dig deeper and understand how the daily fluctuations in glucose levels might be contributing to these cognitive changes.
Tracking Glucose and Cognition in Real-Time
To get a clearer picture, Dr. Zoë Hawks and her team at McLean Hospital recruited 200 people with type 1 diabetes to participate in a unique study.
Using digital glucose sensors and smartphone-based cognitive tests, they collected data on glucose levels and cognitive function three times a day for 15 days.
What they found was eye-opening. When a person’s glucose levels were significantly higher or lower than their usual range, their brain’s processing speed – how quickly it receives, processes, and responds to information – was impaired.
However, their sustained attention, or ability to focus on a task for a long time, was not affected in the same way.
Finding the Cognitive Sweet Spot
Interestingly, the study also revealed that peak cognitive performance actually coincided with glucose levels being slightly higher than a person’s usual range. But if levels continued to rise, performance started to drop off again.
This finding challenges the idea that high glucose levels are always detrimental to brain function, at least in the short term. Dr. Hawks explains, “If a person with type 1 diabetes was about to engage in high stakes testing, for example, and their glucose was a little bit high, they shouldn’t worry about it for that test, as this range was associated with good cognitive functioning overall.”
However, she also emphasizes that over the long term, higher average glucose levels were still associated with slower overall thinking speed compared to those with lower average levels.
Personalizing Diabetes Management for Brain Health
One of the key takeaways from this study is that the relationship between glucose levels and cognitive function is highly individual. The same glucose level that causes thinking difficulties for one person may not have the same effect on another.
This highlights the importance of a personalized approach to diabetes management that takes into account each person’s unique glucose patterns and cognitive responses.
By working closely with your healthcare team and using tools like continuous glucose monitoring, you can gain a better understanding of your own glucose-brain connection.
While the long-term effects of type 1 diabetes on the brain are still being unraveled, there are steps you can take today to support your cognitive health:
- Aim for stable glucose levels: Work with your doctor to find the right balance of insulin, diet, and exercise to minimize extreme highs and lows.
- Stay mentally active: Engage in activities that challenge your brain, like puzzles, reading, or learning a new skill.
- Prioritize sleep: Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for both glucose regulation and cognitive function.
- Manage stress: Chronic stress can affect blood sugar control and brain health, so find healthy ways to relax and unwind.
- Stay connected: Maintaining strong social connections and engaging in activities you enjoy can help keep your brain sharp.
Living with type 1 diabetes is a constant balancing act, and this new research shows that the stakes may be higher than we realized when it comes to brain health.
But by understanding how glucose levels affect your unique cognitive function, and taking steps to keep your mind and body healthy, you can be empowered to live your best life with diabetes.
P.S. The cause and cure for diabetes? Learn more here.
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/too-high-too-low-glucose-levels-may-slow-cognition-type-1-diabetes#How-does-type-1-diabetes-affect-the-brain?
