More than five years ago having a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was found to raise the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. How it does this is unclear. Scientists at the University of British Columbia in Canada might have the answer. In January of 2017, the medical journal Current Alzheimer's Research reported on a study looking at how high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance could be the answer.
In Alzheimer's disease cells called astrocytes and microglia are activated, causing inflammation in the brain. Brain cells die, and Alzheimer's disease progresses. Microglia is known to release inflammatory molecules when exposed to high levels of sugar.
Researchers exposed astrocytes to elevated levels of sugar and found they made and released interleukin-6, an inflammatory molecule, and interleukin-8, which attracts white blood cells. Sugar also raised the risk of injury to the brain cells by hydrogen peroxide which is thought to increase aging by producing free radicals.
Astrocytes get their name from their shape. The word means star cell because they are star-shaped...
they are located in the brain and spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system.
they provide the framework for the central nervous system and form a kind of scar when there is an injury.
When part of the brain or spinal cord are injured, astrocytes migrate there and produce more astrocytes, walling off the "wound" altogether. One indication of central nervous system injury is the presence of a high number of astrocytes. Astrocytes also regulate potassium and other molecules to make a healthy environment for other cells.
When neurons communicate, they give off molecules called neurotransmitters. Astrocytes clean up neurotransmitters from the spaces between cells.
Microglia are a type of macrophage, or "big eater," whose function is to destroy invaders. They migrate throughout the central nervous system, cleaning up waste products and killing microorganisms. They are often seen at the site of cells that have died due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. They are thought to produce amyloid, found in abnormally large quantities in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressive condition causing damage to the brain. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the following are early signs and symptoms of the disease...
memory loss
difficulty planning or solving problems with numbers.
difficulty completing familiar tasks,
confusing time or place,
vision problems,
forgetting words,
losing things,
poor judgment or grooming habits,
withdrawal from social or other activities, and
changes in mood or personality.
It is also thought people with Type 2 diabetes may be more likely to develop the brain tangles of a protein commonly known as a primary marker of Alzheimer's disease.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
By Beverleigh H Piepers
Article Source: Type 2 Diabetes - The Link to Alzheimer's Disease?
In Alzheimer's disease cells called astrocytes and microglia are activated, causing inflammation in the brain. Brain cells die, and Alzheimer's disease progresses. Microglia is known to release inflammatory molecules when exposed to high levels of sugar.
Researchers exposed astrocytes to elevated levels of sugar and found they made and released interleukin-6, an inflammatory molecule, and interleukin-8, which attracts white blood cells. Sugar also raised the risk of injury to the brain cells by hydrogen peroxide which is thought to increase aging by producing free radicals.
Astrocytes get their name from their shape. The word means star cell because they are star-shaped...
they are located in the brain and spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system.
they provide the framework for the central nervous system and form a kind of scar when there is an injury.
When part of the brain or spinal cord are injured, astrocytes migrate there and produce more astrocytes, walling off the "wound" altogether. One indication of central nervous system injury is the presence of a high number of astrocytes. Astrocytes also regulate potassium and other molecules to make a healthy environment for other cells.
When neurons communicate, they give off molecules called neurotransmitters. Astrocytes clean up neurotransmitters from the spaces between cells.
Microglia are a type of macrophage, or "big eater," whose function is to destroy invaders. They migrate throughout the central nervous system, cleaning up waste products and killing microorganisms. They are often seen at the site of cells that have died due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. They are thought to produce amyloid, found in abnormally large quantities in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressive condition causing damage to the brain. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the following are early signs and symptoms of the disease...
memory loss
difficulty planning or solving problems with numbers.
difficulty completing familiar tasks,
confusing time or place,
vision problems,
forgetting words,
losing things,
poor judgment or grooming habits,
withdrawal from social or other activities, and
changes in mood or personality.
It is also thought people with Type 2 diabetes may be more likely to develop the brain tangles of a protein commonly known as a primary marker of Alzheimer's disease.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
By Beverleigh H Piepers
Article Source: Type 2 Diabetes - The Link to Alzheimer's Disease?
