According to the American Diabetes Association, in 1993 an estimated 41 percent of people in America with diabetes were over the age of 65. Diabetes, the inability of the body to produce insulin, or when it becomes resistant to the effects of the insulin it does produce, has several health-related effects. These can include changes in the functioning of the autoimmune and neurological systems. The neurological system is a complex network of nerves in the brain and spinal cord responsible for managing all the other functions of your body, according to the Brian Mac Sports Coach website. This means the implications of diabetes can have a ripple effect on the functioning of nearly any part of your body.
Diabetes
Drs. Diane L. Chau, M.D., Neila Shumaker, M.D., and Raymond A. Plodkowski, M.D., explain in the 2005 issue of "Geriatric Times" that diabetes in elderly patients has an association with declining cognitive functioning. They note that the brain is at the center of the neurological system, and cognitive impairments can lead to impaired glucose control functioning. In addition, diabetes can lead to permanent damage of the neurological system, known as diabetic neuropathy. Finally, diabetics are predisposed to diabetic retinopathy, or neurological damage to the nerves that control the function of your eyes.
Dementia
According to Dr. Janet Jankowiak in "Neurology," both diabetes and cognitive problems increase as you age. She cites a 2004 study published in "Neurology" that found that elderly women with impaired glucose regulation also had an increased risk of developing cognitive problems and dementia. Less than 10 percent of all age-related dementia is completely reversible. Dr. Jankowiak suggests that identifying the early signs of impaired glucose control may be a more helpful approach to preventing some types of dementia than ignoring them.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Diabetes not managed properly can lead to permanent neurological damage caused by excess concentrations of glucose in the blood. This condition can occur anywhere in the neurological system, but people commonly experience it in the peripheral nerves of the hands and feet. This is peripheral neuropathy and generally begins with symptoms such as numbness and tingling of the hands and feet. As the condition progresses, the neurological damage increases and causes more impairment of functioning of the extremities.
Increased Risk of Mortality After Stroke
According to a 2002 article published by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, individuals with diabetes appear to have an associated increased risk of mortality following a stroke. According to Dr. Askiel Bruno of Indiana University School of Medicine, most people who experience a stroke end up with a permanent functional impairment. A 1991 study published in the "Canadian Medical Association Journal," reported that, as you age, your risk of experiencing a stroke increases. Controlling diabetes in the elderly therefore, may decrease the extent of neurological problems caused by a stroke.
References
- University of Southern California: The Aging Brain
- "Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry"; Neurological Disorders in the Elderly at Home.
- "Neurology"; Too Much Sugar May Cause "Brain Decay."
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Another Reason to Avoid a Sugar High: Study Links High Blood Sugar to Mortality After Stroke
- "Journal of the American Diabetes Association"; Clinical Management of Diabetes in the Elderly
- Brian Mac: Physiology Neurological System
