The Association of Diabetes in the Onset of Dementia in the Elderly Population

Abstract

The number of older people is growing rapidly worldwide and the elderly are also living longer. Dementia, the most common cause of cognitive impairment, is a huge public health problem. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction and dementia in the elderly. The association of vascular disease and T2DM is well established, but recent studies have suggested the strong correlation between T2DM and Alzheimer's disease (AD). With the increase in the number of elderly individuals, the number of diabetic patients with cognitive dysfunction has been increasing. T2DM may accelerate AD-associated pathologies through insulin resistance. Vascular pathologies may also be associated with cognitive dysfunction and dementia in T2DM subjects. Nutrition plays a role in the aging process, but there is still a lack of knowledge about nutrition-related risk factors in cognitive impairment. Research in this area has been intensive during the last decade, and results indicate that subclinical deficiency in essential nutrients (antioxidants such as vitamins C, E and b-carotene, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folate) and nutrition-related disorders, such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, hypertension, and diabetes, could be some of the nutrition-related risk factors that can be present for a long time before cognitive impairment becomes evident. Studies in understanding the physiological risk factors and nutrition factor in cognitive impairment will help to develop a new preventing strategy for clinical management of the disease. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.