Alzheimer’s Disease and Type II Diabetes are related. But How?
A recent study in Japan discovered that people who have Type II Diabetes have an extremely high chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The study showed that of 135 people with insulin resistance, 72% showed the kind of plaque and tangles that cause Alzheimer’s.
What they didn’t know is whether insulin resistance causes plaques to form.
In other words, the precise relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and Type II Diabetes is unclear.
In my opinion, the best changes for finding a connection is not to look for a cause-and-effect relationship between these two diseases. It is far more likely that these two have similar causes.
We know that Type II Diabetes can be prevented with good exercise and a healthy diet.
Doesn’t it make sense to assume the same for Alzheimer’s disease? It makes good sense to me, but sadly the scientific data are lacking.
There are several reasons why scientists don’t talk enough about the effects of aerobic exercise and nutrition on long term health.
- It is extremely difficult to prove the relationship. You will have to follow a large group of people for many years, document all their physical activities and their food intake, and then hope that they show a statistically different incidence of chronic illness.
- The other reason is that it doesn’t sell well. By that I mean, there is no drug that you can develop that can replace the effect of physical exercise and proper nutrition over years.
Are scientists primarily interested in drug development? Well, they are, and I submit, so are most people.
Face it, drugs sell like crazy. Even though science has shown that physical exercise beats anti-depressants in every controlled study, these drugs still sell like hot cakes. We like happiness in a pill and we don’t trust that we have a significant amount of control over our own lives (and perhaps we don’t want to hear that we seriously screwed up when we were eating all those frozen dinners while watching TV).
Memory and Learning Creates new Brain Cells
It has now been shown that learning and memories truly create new brain cells. Those who found this suggest that this is great news, because…
… it can lead to the development of new drugs.
Now, I don’t want to get into the specifics of biochemistry. I was struck though that these scientists thought about drugs before they thought about the good news that what we do determines whether we create new brain cells.
It is amazing news to me to learn that we grown new brain cells when we are learning stuff and are using our memories. What do you do to make your brain stronger: You go and use it. What a concept.
And you know what makes it easier to learn?
You guessed it.
Exercise.
Good food.
Walking Improves Brain Connectivity and Brain Function
It doesn’t have to involve running a marathon either.
A third study I read today showed that walking 40 minutes, three times a week, increased the connections within the brain.
This is hugely important, because no portion of the brain works in isolation. That means that the better your brain talks to itself, the better you do in everything.
There is a network in the brain called the Default Mode Network (DMN). This network is keeps your brain humming, when you are least engaged in any activity. People who have Alzheimer’s disease, show a significant lower functioning of this Default Mode Network.
Neuroplasticity
Walking just three times a week improves this network. That is what is called neuroplasticity. The brain makes new connections between the neurons (growing new neurons is called neurogenesis).
You can create neuroplasticity in your brain by walking three times a week. Everything gets better as a result. So called executive function, learning and memorizing, motor control, and…
… you feel a lot better too.
As I said, exercise beats anti-depressant medication in medical research.
Get Out the Door Already
In short:
- Aerobic exercise helps prevent Type II Diabetes,
- Type II Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease are strongly related,
- Walking makes your brain grow more connections between the neurons, and
- Learning stuff makes your brain grow new brain cells.
The lessons are clear:
Get out and walk.
Learn something new each day.
Have fun!
Sources:
Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes linked to plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists find first link in humans between memory and nerve cell production
Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function