High Blood Sugar Levels Tied to Small Increases in Dementia Risk

Elevated blood sugar levels, even among people who don't have diabetes, are associated with an increased risk for dementia, a new study shows. The effect was very subtle, however, suggesting that higher blood sugar levels may be more of a nudge toward memory loss than a shove. "If I had diabetes and I read this study, my reaction would be relief," said Dr. Richard O'Brien, chair of neurology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, who was not involved in the research. "The effect was small." The risk increases tied to rising blood sugar (or blood glucose) levels ranged from 10 percent to 40 percent. O'Brien pointed out that other risks appear to have much greater impacts. Having a parent with dementia, for example, roughly doubles or triples a person's risk for developing the disease. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_139545.html