How blood sugar and diabetes-related health issues relate to memory loss and Alzheimer's markers
Association of glycemia and related factors and complications with cognitive impairment and AD/ADRD biomarkers
Researchers will look at whether blood sugar control, insulin problems, and diabetes complications link with memory decline and Alzheimer's blood markers in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367318 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project follows people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in the long-running Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) over about 20 years. It tracks blood sugar patterns, insulin resistance, pancreatic function, advanced glycation end products, vascular health, and diabetes complications alongside regular cognitive testing and expert diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The team will also measure blood biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease such as amyloid and tau to study how those markers change over time. By combining clinical histories, complications, and biomarker trajectories, the project aims to clarify which diabetes-related factors occur before or alongside cognitive decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes—especially those enrolled in or eligible for the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study—are the most relevant candidates for this work.
Not a fit: People without prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, or those seeking immediate dementia treatments, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this observational project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify diabetes-related changes that raise dementia risk and point to targets for preventing or slowing memory loss in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked diabetes to higher dementia risk, but combining long-term clinical follow-up with Alzheimer's blood biomarkers is relatively new and less well-established.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dabelea, Dana — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Dabelea, Dana
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.