High Blood Sugar Linked to Impaired Brain Activity in Healthy People

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Research shows that elevated blood sugar affects the brains of healthy people just as it does of people with diabetes.

A study published in October in Neurobiology of Aging and conducted by Baycrest Academy for Research and Education (BARE) in Canada has found that high blood sugar levels may impair brain health even in individuals without diabetes.

“Our results show that even if someone does not have a diabetes diagnosis, their blood sugar may already be high enough to be negatively impacting their brain health,” Jean Chen, senior author of the study and senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, part of BARE, said in a press statement.

Brain Adversely Affected Even in Healthy People

Previous research has established that high blood sugar has adverse effects on brain health in people with diabetes, but until now, its impact on healthy people’s brains has not been well understood.

“Blood sugar exists on a spectrum—it isn’t a black and white categorization of healthy or unhealthy,” Chen said in the press release.

The study analyzed data from 146 healthy adults aged 18 and older. Researchers evaluated blood sugar levels, brain activity through magnetic resonance imaging scans, and heart rate variability via electrocardiogram readings. The researchers utilized data from the Leipzig Study for Mind-Body-Emotion Interactions (LEMON) dataset.

Diet and Exercise Key to Reducing Risk

Higher blood sugar levels were associated with decreased connectivity in brain networks crucial for cognition, memory, attention, and emotion regulation. The adverse effects were more pronounced in older adults, who generally had higher blood sugar levels than younger participants, but the association was present across all age groups. Women experienced a more substantial effect than men.

“The findings highlight the importance of managing your blood sugar through healthy diet and exercise, not only for your body but also for your brain,” Chen stated. “It’s also important to get regular checkups and to work with a healthcare provider, especially if you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes.”

Previous research has shown that normal brain aging is accelerated by about 26 percent in people with progressive Type 2 diabetes compared to healthy people without the condition. The findings also suggest that by the time someone is formally diagnosed, they may already have experienced significant structural damage to the brain.

Yet unlike Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, Type 2 diabetes is preventable through lifestyle changes. These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet that includes fresh, whole foods and minimizes sugar intake, and getting regular exercise.

Elevated Blood Sugar Adversely Affects Heart Rate

A correlation was also found between higher blood sugar and lower heart rate variability (HRV), with researchers pointing to previous research linking higher HRV to better brain health. HRV is the variation of time between heartbeats. Generally, a higher variation means the body can adapt more easily to stressors, while low HRV can indicate illness or lower resilience to stress.

The researchers noted that future studies could explore methods to enhance brain function through improving HRV, which may present an easier intervention target than blood sugar levels, particularly for nondiabetic people.

Research has also linked high blood sugar to heart disease and eye conditions by damaging the blood vessels in these organs. It can also reduce the kidney’s ability to filter waste, which can lead to chronic kidney disease.