Diabetes and Neurodegeneration. The Brain-Body Axis

The CDE Academy is proud to invite you to register for our next Journal Club Webinar. Each session is real-time, online and CPD-accredited.

All our topics are carefully selected to be of interest to all members of the wider interdisciplinary diabetes team.

Beyond Glycaemic Control

The relationship between diabetes and brain health is receiving increasing attention as researchers uncover the complex biological links between metabolic disease and neurodegeneration. Emerging evidence suggests that the consequences of insulin resistance extend far beyond traditional glucose metabolism, influencing processes that may contribute directly to cognitive decline and dementia.

In this Journal Club, we will explore the evolving concept of "Type 3 Diabetes", a term used to describe Alzheimer's disease as a form of brain-specific insulin resistance, and examine how disturbances in metabolic health may influence long-term neurological outcomes.

At the Crossroads of Diabetes and Dementia

The first review, by Atabi et al., provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms linking diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. The authors describe how peripheral insulin resistance may impair the blood-brain barrier and disrupt neuronal insulin signalling, creating a metabolically compromised brain environment.

These changes contribute to the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques, tau protein tangles, and chronic neuroinflammation—key pathological features associated with Alzheimer's disease. The review challenges us to consider whether the same metabolic dysfunction driving diabetes complications elsewhere in the body may also play a central role in cognitive decline.

The second review, by Zachary Bloomgarden, examines the growing epidemiological evidence connecting diabetes and dementia. Diabetes is associated with a substantially increased risk of both vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease, reinforcing the need to view cognitive health as an important outcome in diabetes management.

Importantly, emerging research suggests that therapies commonly used in diabetes care, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, may offer neuroprotective benefits beyond glucose lowering. These findings raise exciting possibilities for future strategies aimed at preserving both metabolic and cognitive health.

This session is not simply about understanding dementia—it is about recognising brain health as a critical endpoint of diabetes care and exploring how modern diabetes therapies may influence the future of cognitive wellbeing.