Inadequate control of blood glucose in people with diabetes can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. But in addition, it can also have negative effects on memory , as stated by different scientific studies.
Selene Casino, researcher at the Neurogonition Laboratory of the Faculty of Psychology (FP) of the UNAM, ensures that poor control of glucose in people with diabetes can significantly reduce the action of memory. This statement is based on the conclusion of an important research work in this regard.
A total of 656 participated in this study, including 148 people with diabetes. The main focus of this study was on memory impairment , rather than on diabetes itself.
Relationship of memory and diabetes
The expert Selene Casino clarifies that «we decided to delve into the impact of this condition on memory and, in order not to contaminate the results with other pathologies, we discarded those who registered other comorbidities such as hypercholesterolemia or hypertension, in order to stay with 100 individuals with only diabetes, and nothing else ».
Glucose control Thus, the researchers analyzed mainly two types of memory . One of them is considered as episodic memory, which allows the person to recall experiences lived in the past; and the other is working memory, which allows people to have a conversation, make decisions or solve problems.
During the research, people with diabetes performed less well, which showed that the impact of the disease on memory functions is very broad. Therefore, blood glucose control is essential, among other reasons.
In this regard, the specialist argues that «in our study we found that glucose levels in sick participants were 150 mg per deciliter, compared to 105 mg per deciliter of healthy people . These figures suggest that this poor memory performance may well be attributed to poor glycemic control. ”
The importance of controlling glucose
In conclusion, the researchers responsible for the study agree on the importance of following strict control of glucose levels , especially in people with diabetes. In this sense, they point out that it is not only enough to follow the appropriate medication, but also that you also have to pay attention to other key factors, such as diet or physical exercise.
And is that diabetes is a universal disease present in all countries of the world, so experts remember the relevance of continuing to promote and improve treatments to live with this disease.
Thus, controlling glucose levels to offer healthy levels is essential to improve the quality of life of patients with diabetes and avoid the development of health conditions or derived diseases.
Finally, the researchers state that diabetes causes different alterations in the body, including in the brain. Thus, according to the research that concerns us, inadequate blood glucose control in people with diabetes can affect memory and cognitive function.
