Scientists highlight link between diabetes and Alzheimer's

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are highlighting the role that diabetes can play in spurring development of amyloid beta, a protein that many believe is responsible for causing Alzheimer's. "Our results suggest that diabetes, or other conditions that make it hard to control blood sugar levels, can have harmful effects on brain function and exacerbate neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease," said lead author Shannon Macauley, a postdoctoral research scholar. "The link we've discovered could lead us to future treatment targets that reduce these effects." Release