Prediabetes as a critical stage for risk of dementia and stroke: evidence from the UK Biobank and Mendelian Randomization - PubMed
5 hours ago
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- #Dementia Risk
- #Prediabetes
- Prediabetes is linked to higher risks of vascular dementia, stroke, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage, with hazard ratios indicating significant increases compared to normoglycemia.
- Brain MRI findings show smaller gray matter and hippocampal volumes, along with larger white matter hyperintensity volumes in individuals with prediabetes, suggesting structural brain changes.
- Risks for adverse neurological outcomes increase with higher HbA1c levels, even below the diagnostic threshold for type 2 diabetes, and are further elevated in those with diagnosed diabetes.
- Mendelian randomization analyses support a causal relationship between elevated glycemia and dementia, stroke, and hippocampal atrophy.
- The study emphasizes that prediabetes is not benign and highlights the importance of early intervention and lifestyle changes to mitigate risks to brain health.