A new research has found that elderly diabetics are more prone to detrimental consequences of stress compared to 
The study, published by Diabetes Care and set up four years ago to better understand reasons for memory decline in diabetic patients, took into account factors such as education, cardiovascular disease, smoking and mood while evaluating patients. Scientists evaluated mental abilities with a range of tests, including memory function and how quickly participants processed information.
The findings drew a connection between high levels of stress hormone cortisol in participants and the slowing down of brain function.
Dr Rebecca Reynolds, of Edinburgh University’s Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: “We know that type 2 diabetes is linked to problems with memory, but the reason behind this is unclear. This study shows that older people with diabetes who have higher levels of stress hormones in their blood are more likely to have experienced cognitive decline. It may be that by regulating cortisol levels, we could help improve cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes.”
About Type 2 Diabetes
Also called ‘Adult Onset’ diabetes, this is often found in individuals above 40 years of age and is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused due to improper intake of insulin by the cells, thereby impeding the conversion of glucose into energy. This differs from type 1 diabetes, also called ‘juvenile onset’ diabetes, which is characterised by absence of insulin production by the body.
Written by Snigdha Taduri for Biomed-ME