What does diabetes do to the brain?

“With diabetes, you have an increased risk of damage to blood vessels over time, including damage to the small blood vessels in the brain. This damage affects the brain's white matter,” says Joseph C. Masdeu, MD, PhD, of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute.

Can diabetes cause mental confusion?

When diabetes is poorly controlled, it can lead to delirium. This acute state of severe confusion and behavior change is difficult to treat and is associated with higher risk for long-term cognitive impairment and even death.

Can diabetes mess with your mind?

Patients with diabetes have been found to have several changes in brain structure that appear to develop over time (top) and often experience conditions that present risk for subsequent cognitive dysfunction (bottom).

Does type 2 diabetes affect the mind?

Diabetes can have an impact on your whole body. Your brain is no exception. Recent studies have linked type 2 diabetes to a slowdown in mental functioning and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. The chance of brain complications is just one more reason to keep your diabetes under control.

Can diabetes make you crazy?

Mood swings and diabetes. Feeling a range of highs and lows is not uncommon if you have diabetes. Your blood sugar impacts how you feel and can contribute to mood swings. Poor management of blood glucose can lead to negative moods and a lower quality of life .

Why are diabetics so angry?

What's sometimes called "diabetic rage" can be dangerous, because it may involve behaviors you're not consciously aware of. When your blood sugar fluctuates, spikes, or drops, it can produce feelings of anger, anxiety, or depression. You may feel like your emotions are out of your control.

What is the life expectancy of a diabetic?

The combined diabetic life expectancy is 74.64 years—comparable to the life expectancy in the general population. Stratifying the diabetic and non-diabetic population by type of diabetes and sex provides some interesting insight into the dynamics.

How can diabetes affect someone emotionally?

Changes in blood sugar can cause rapid changes in mood and other mental symptoms such as fatigue, trouble thinking clearly, and anxiety. Having diabetes can cause a condition called diabetes distress which shares some traits of stress, depression and anxiety.

Does diabetes affect memory?

How Does Diabetes Affect Memory Loss? Uncontrolled diabetes may increase the risk of experiencing cognitive problems, such as memory loss. Higher than normal blood glucose levels can damage nerve cells, supportive glial cells, and blood vessels in both peripheral nerves of the body and the brain.

Does diabetes cause neurological problems?

High blood sugar can lead to nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. You can prevent it or slow its progress by keeping your blood sugar as close to your target range as possible and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Can diabetes cause rage?

Anger initiates the stress response within the body causing blood sugar levels to rise, heart rate and blood pressure to increase. It is normal for people with diabetes to experience anger, often questioning why it is them with diabetes whilst other people are healthy.

How do you feel when your blood sugar is too HIgh?

Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body lacks enough insulin. Associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia can cause vomiting, excessive hunger and thirst, rapid heartbeat, vision problems and other symptoms.

Does diabetes cause brain fog?

In fact, sugar is the brain's main source of fuel. So if your blood sugar is out of whack due to diabetes, you may develop brain fog. Brain fog describes cognitive impairments like: decreased concentration.

Can diabetes cause psychosis?

In diabetes, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are the two conditions that can cause psychosis.

Can diabetes cause schizophrenia?

Malfunctions in how the body processes sugar that occur in diabetes and obesity could also explain mood and other mental disorders such as schizophrenia, researchers now reveal.

How many hours of sleep does a diabetic need?

To keep your blood sugar in balance, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. If you work at night or have rotating shifts: Try to maintain regular meal and sleep times, even on your days off, if you can.

Is memory loss from diabetes reversible?

Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can prevent diabetes, control your cardiovascular risk factors, and potentially preserve your memory. Losing weight through exercise and by eating balanced meals is one realistic step you can take to improve your brain function as you age.

What is fuzzy brain?

Brain fog is characterized by confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity. This can be caused by overworking, lack of sleep, stress, and spending too much time on the computer.

Can diabetes cause bipolar disorder?

Diabetes mellitus and bipolar disorder frequently occur together, and this comorbidity isn't a random coincidence. More than half (53%) of people with bipolar have either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, a state of elevated blood sugar levels that aren't yet high enough for a diabetes diagnosis (Woods, 2015).

What does diabetes fatigue feel like?

Many people with diabetes will describe themselves as feeling tired, lethargic or fatigued at times. It could be a result of stress, hard work or a lack of a decent night's sleep but it could also be related to having too high or too low blood glucose levels.

What are the 3 stages of diabetes?

Diabetes is an umbrella term for three primary conditions: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. According to guidelines established by experts in the field, there are multiple stages of diabetes, each of which are defined by physiological changes within the body.

Does diabetes worsen with age?

About 1 in 4 adults over age 60 have diabetes. Having the disease makes you more likely to get some serious complications. And so does getting older. The combination of the two can even make some health problems worse.

Can you live 40 years with diabetes?

Upon analysis, investigators found the average person with type 1 diabetes was 42.8 years of age and had a life expectancy from now of 32.6 years. In comparison, people the same age without diabetes were expected to live 40.2 years from now.

Does diabetes cause dementia?

Several research studies following large groups over many years suggest that adults with Type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. diabetes. According to the one study's results, Type 1 diabetics were 93% more likely to develop dementia.

What is diabetes burnout?

Diabetes burnout is a state in which someone with diabetes grows tired of managing their condition, and then simply ignores it for a period of time, or worse, forever. Unfortunately, diabetes burnout is common, and most people with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) have experienced it at some point in their lives.