Alzheimer's: Dr Chris discusses the early signs of condition

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Symptoms of the condition include difficulty sleeping, disturbed memory, drastic mood changes and increased confusion. The disease is caused by the accumulation of tangles and clumps of protein in and around cells, which make it difficult for brain cells to communicate with one another, and eventually killing them off. A new study, however, has suggested that one drug, typically prescribed to diabetic patients, may help prevent Alzheimer’s.

Diabetes occurs when the body has difficulty using the sugar it sources from food for energy, causing sugar to build up in the bloodstream. Dipeptidyl peptidase-3 inhibitors are usually prescribed to help regulate blood sugar in such patients.

A study, authored Phil Huy Lee, of Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, found that when prescribed to patients suffering cognitive dysfunction, the drug slowed the rate of cognitive decline.

Lee said: “People with diabetes have been shown to have higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, possibly due to high blood sugar levels, which have been linked to build-up of amyloid beta – abnormal protein – in the brain.

“Not only did our study shows that people taking dipeptidyl peptidase-3 inhibitors to lower blood sugar levels had less amyloid in their brain overall, it also showed lower levels in area of the brain involved in Alzheimer’s disease.”

The study included 282 participants of a median age of 76, who were followed over the course of six years.

All of the study subjects had been diagnosed with either pre-clinical, early or probable Alzheimer’s disease.

Of the participants, 70 were being treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-3 inhibitors, 71 had diabetes but were not being treated with the drug and 141 did not have diabetes.

Diabetic participants were matched with non-diabetic participants by age, sex, and education levels, with all participants scoring similarly on cognitive tests at the outset of the study.

The findings showed that people with diabetes who took drugs had an average annual decline of 0.87 points on their MMSE score, while people with diabetes who did not take the drug declined by 77 percent more slowly than those who did not take the drug.

Lee added: “Our results show less amyloid in the brain of people taking these medications and less cognitive decline, when compared to people with diabetes raises the possibility that these medications may also be beneficial for people without diabetes who have thinking and money problems.

“More research is needed to demonstrate whether these drugs may have neuroprotective properties in all people.”

There are two main types of diabetes; type 1 diabetes causes the levels of glucose in your blood to become too high. It happens when the body cannot produce enough insulin to keep you blood glucose levels under control.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is an impairment in the way the body regulates and uses sugar. It is a long-term (chronic) condition resulting in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream.

According to the NHS, symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
Peeing more than usual
Feeling thirsty all the time
Feeling very tired
Losing weight
Itching around the penis of vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
Cuts or wounds taking longer to heal

The health body said: “A GP can diagnose diabetes, you’ll need to do a blood test, which you may have to go to your local health centre for.

“The earlier the diabetes is diagnosed and treatment started, the better.

“Early treatment reduces the risk of other problems.”

Combining healthy lifestyle behaviours, however, is associated with substantially lowering the risk of the disease.

According to Healthline, some lifestyle tips that can help reverse prediabetes – when blood sugar levels are higher than normal – naturally, include:
Eating a clean diet
Losing weight
Eating fewer carbohydrates
Drinking water
Exercising regularly

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