Type 1 diabetes linked to significantly higher dementia risk, large U.S. study finds

• A new study suggests people with type 1 diabetes may be nearly three times as likely to develop dementia compared with people without diabetes.
• Similarly, people with type 2 diabetes may have roughly twice the risk of dementia compared with those without diabetes.
• However, the study found an association rather than proof of causation, meaning diabetes was linked to dementia risk but was not shown to directly cause it.

Diabetes describes a group of metabolic conditions that typically result from problems with insulin production, action, or both.

This can cause a widespread impact on the body, such as damaging blood vessels due to high blood sugar levels, or causing inflammation.

Thus, it is not uncommon for those living with diabetes to experience comorbid conditions, or multimorbidity. This refers to an individual living with two or more chronic, long-term health conditions.

Although the link between diabetes and dementia is not well understood, research has noted that diabetes can increase dementia risk.

Previous research has mostly focused on type 2 diabetes and its association with dementia. However, growing evidence is also highlighting a link between type 1 diabetes and dementia.

Now, a new large cohort study published in Neurology, suggests that people with type 2 diabetes have an elevated risk of dementia, but the risk may be even greater among those with type 1 diabetes.

This highlights the need to better understand the mechanisms connecting diabetes and cognitive decline. However, the researchers caution that the findings show an association rather than a cause-and-effect relationship.