New Study Proves Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease

In an important new study just published in the Neurobiology of Aging, investigators led by David R. Schubert, Ph.D.,have identified the probable molecular basis for the link between diabetes and Alzheimer's. interaction.
Unfortunately, Alzheimer's and diabetes are increasing at an alarming rate. Alzheimer's affects one in 10 Americans over 65 years of age and nearly 50 percent of those over 85 years old. Currently, 7 percent or approximately 20 million Americans have diabetes, with the vast majority of these individuals being over 60
Studies have shown that diabetic patients have a 30 to 65 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to non-diabetic individuals. The increased risk applies to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Now researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that the blood vessels in the brain of young diabetic mice are damaged by the interaction of elevated blood glucose levels(such as diabetics experience), and low levels of beta amyloid, a peptide that clumps to form the senile plaques that are found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's. Further experiments revealed that the vascular damage was due to the overproduction of free radicals, resulting in oxidative damage to the cells lining the brain's blood vessels.
Of course now this allow scientists to focus on developing new drugs that may show promise for preventing Alzheimer's disease and perhaps the vascular damage associated with diabetes.