For many years scientists have not understood why people with diabetes have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. An observational study in Washington has indicated, even amongst people who don’t have diabetes, that a higher blood glucose level can be associated with the greater risk of dementia.

The researchers tested both the fasting and non-fasting glucose measurements of the test group and they looked at other factors, which obviously increase the risk of dementia, such as high blood pressure and smoking. Doctors say that it is too early to warn people to change their diet as a result but that people should certainly stick to the basics – exercise regularly, maintain a normal weight and these in themselves should assist with reducing the damage done to the brain by high blood sugar, even if they don’t know now how exactly high blood sugar levels are damaging the brain.