Diabetes and dementia: studies with the Fremantle Diabetes Study cohort. [ 2001 - 2003 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof David Bruce (Principal investigator) ,  A/Pr Roger Clarnette ,  Prof Osvaldo Almeida ,  Prof Timothy Davis

Brief description Dementia is an extremely serious condition which affects a large proportion of the older population. Recent evidence has shown that diabetes, which is another common condition in the elderly, doubles the risk of an older person developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Why this happens is unknown but insulin therapy has been highlighted as a possible cause. As many older people are on insulin for their diabetes, it is extremely important to confirm or refute this finding. It seems possible that insulin may not be the direct cause but that some other associated factor such as poor diabetes control, recurrent hypoglycaemic attacks or cerebrovascular disease causes dementia. On theoretical grounds, Alzheimer's disease may have a vascular basis. If Alzheimer's disease was, in part, caused by vascular disease then there is the potential to prevent cases of dementia developing by paying attention to the known risk factors for vascular disease such as hypertension. The Fremantle Diabetes Study is an ideal group of community living diabetic individuals in which we can study whether some or all of these factors cause Alzheimer's disease or dementia and gain insights into the potential for prevention.

Funding Amount $AUD 315,509.18

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant