Researchers at the University of Tasmania in Australia have found a link between type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline. Lead investigator, Michele Callisaya, and her colleagues wanted to see if there is a link between type 2 diabetes, brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Additionally, if they identified a link, they hoped to discover the possible underlying cause. Results of the study were published in the December issue of the journal Diabetologia.
Early studies have shown a link between type 2 diabetes and brain atrophy but it has been unclear whether that brain atrophy leads to additional cognitive decline when compared to subjects without type 2 diabetes. According the investigators, this is the first study to compare cognition and brain size in participants with and without type 2 diabetes.
Seven hundred and five people between the ages of 55 and 90 participated in the study. Of the 705 participants, 348 had been diagnosed with diabetes and 357 had no history of diabetes. Over 5 years, using MRI scans researchers measured brain atrophy based the ventricular and total brain volume, and cognitive function was measured using different methods at three different time points. After adjusting for risk factors such as age, body mass index, sex, education, heart attack, stroke, hypertension and cholesterol levels, results showed type 2 diabetes was associated with a significant decline in verbal memory and verbal fluency over 5 years. The study showed people without diabetes had an increase in verbal fluency while the participants with diabetes showed a decline in verbal fluency.
At the start of the study, patients with diabetes had greater brain atrophy than patients without diabetes however, over the course of the 5-year study, results showed no difference in the rate of brain atrophy between the two study groups. This leads the researchers to believe treatment to prevent brain atrophy in patients with type 2 diabetes may need to begin at an earlier age.
Stem cell therapy may help treat the symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes and diseases of cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s disease. Stem cells are a type of undifferentiated cell that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types. Stem cells can be guided into becoming a specific type of cell allowing physicians trained in the field of regenerative medicine to use stem cells to repair diseased or damage tissue.
Stem Cell Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy may help patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes optimize their health and experience a better quality of life. Stem cell therapy may decrease hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and the complications associated with hyperglycemia:
- Heart disease
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Diabetic nephropathy (reduced kidney function)
- Vision problems including diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma
Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to:
- Differentiate into insulin producing cells
- Regenerate and protect pancreatic cells
- Restore beta cell function and mass
- Convert alpha cell to beta cells
- Reduce inflammation and insulin resistance
Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Mesenchymal stem cell subpopulations express a variety of neuro-regulatory molecules and promote neuronal cell survival. Neural stem cells transplanted at sites of nerve injury are thought to promote functional recovery by producing trophic factors that induce survival and regeneration of host neurons. Intravenously administered mesenchymal stem cells are also capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and effectively migrating to regions of neural injury, without inducing tumor growth or an immune response.
Research has shown mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to; 1. Decrease Amyloid-beta plaque formation, 2. Stimulate neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and neuronal differentiation, 3. Rescue spatial learning and memory deficits, and 4. Possibly decrease inflammation by upregulating neuroprotective cytokines and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. The safety and efficacy results from animal models has led to the approval of six ongoing FDA trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Stem Cells Transplant Institute
Stem cell treatments are offered by various medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine and even some chiropractors. Unfortunately, many clinics in the United States, and across the globe are not adequately trained, which can lead to poor results and a waste of money. When choosing a physician in the United States or abroad, it is critical to ensure that he or she has the proper training and certification.
The physicians at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute are board certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and members of the International Society for Stem Cell Application.
At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica we offer
- Stem cells derived from adipose tissue
- Stem cells derived from bone marrow
- Now Available!Umbilical cord-derived stem cells
Stem cells have the ability to grow, repair and regenerate any type of human cell or tissue. Stem cell therapy is a medical procedure that uses stem cells to repair damaged tissue from certain diseases or physical injuries. Stem cell therapy can offer relief to patients suffering from chronic pain, difficult-to-heal injuries, and certain chronic conditions. FDA has not approved any stem cell-based products for
In the United States and other parts of the world, stem cell therapy is available to the few patients that have access to a clinical trial. In the United States, the FDA has not approved any stem-cell based products for use other than for certain blood disorders. The Stem Cells Transplant Institute provides government-approved stem cell therapy access to the benefits of stem cell therapies today. Contact us today to learn more.
Reference:
- Callisaya, M.L., et al., Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy and cognitive decline in older people: a longitudinal study. Diabetologia, 13 December 2018, pp 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-018-4778-9
