Disturbed sleep and diabetes: A potential nexus of dementia risk

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and sleep disturbance (e.g., insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing) are prevalent conditions among older adults that are associated with cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Importantly, disturbed sleep is associated with alterations in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, and may increase the risk of T2D, and T2D-related complications (e.g., pain, nocturia) can negatively affect sleep. Despite these associations, little is known about how interactions between T2D and sleep disturbance might alter cognitive trajectories or the pathological changes that underlie dementia. Here, we review links among T2D, sleep disturbance, cognitive decline and dementia-including preclinical and clinical AD-and identify gaps in the literature, that if addressed, could have significant implications for the prevention of poor cognitive outcomes.

Metabolism: clinical and experimental. 2018 Feb 01 [Epub ahead of print]

Calliope Holingue, Alexandra Wennberg, Slava Berger, Vsevolod Y Polotsky, Adam P Spira

Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States. Electronic address: ., Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States. Electronic address: ., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States. Electronic address: ., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States. Electronic address: ., Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, United States; Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, United States. Electronic address: .