Study Links Glucose Fluctuations to Cognitive Processing Speed in Type 1 Diabetes

In a recent study on type 1 diabetes, researchers from McLean Hospital revealed a significant connection between glucose fluctuations and cognitive processing speed. The study, led by Zoë Hawks and her colleagues, found that large variations in glucose levels were associated with slower processing speed but not sustained attention among participants.

The findings, published in the npj Digital Medicine journal, were based on data collected every 5 minutes from continuous glucose monitors. Results showed that significant glucose fluctuations impacted digital symptom matching reaction time, suggesting a potential impact on cognitive function.

Laura Germine, a co-author of the study from the McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, emphasized the importance of stable glucose levels for overall health and suggested a direct relationship between glucose stability and cognitive function consistency.

The study also highlighted individual differences in cognitive vulnerability to glucose fluctuations, indicating that some individuals may be more affected than others. Factors such as large glucose fluctuations were found to impact thinking speed, with varying degrees of influence among participants.

Furthermore, the research identified that maintaining glucose levels slightly higher than an individual’s average could result in optimal cognitive performance. Naomi Chaytor from Washington State University explained that individuals with diabetes often report feeling better at slightly higher glucose levels, suggesting a potential adaptation of the brain to accustomed glucose levels.

Unexpectedly, neck circumference emerged as a variable impacting cognitive vulnerability to glucose fluctuations in the post-hoc analysis. The study, supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations, included 200 adults with type 1 diabetes, revealing insights into the intricate relationship between glucose levels and cognitive function.