Lower Blood Sugar Levels Good for the Brain?

(Ivanhoe Newswire)—People with higher blood sugar levels are more likely to have memory problems, even if they don’t have diabetes, according to new research out of Charité University Medicine in Berlin, Germany.
For the study, researchers observed 141 people who did not have diabetes or pre-diabetes. The participants’ memory skills were tested, along with their blood glucose, or sugar, levels. They also had brain scans to measure the size of the hippocampus area of the brain.
People with lower blood sugar levels were more likely to have better scores on the memory tests. On a test where participants needed to recall a list of 15 words 30 minutes after hearing them, recalling fewer words was associated with higher blood sugar levels.
“These results suggest that even for people within the normal range of blood sugar, lowering their blood sugar levels could be a promising strategy for preventing memory problems and cognitive decline as they age. Strategies such as lowering calorie intake and increasing physical activity should be tested,” study author Agnes Flöel, MD, of Charité University Medicine in Berlin, Germany, was quoted as saying.
For more information, go to: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131024/NEWS02/310240046/High-blood-sugar-may-affect-memory
SOURCE: Neurology, October 2013