Research Update

It is well-known that people with Type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but the reason why is not fully understood and is an area of current research.

Now, scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have uncovered a novel mechanism that shows increased sugar intake and elevations in blood glucose are sufficient to cause amyloid plaque buildup in the brain, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaque is made up of toxic proteins in the brain. The study findings appear online in JCI Insight.

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Cancer that spreads to the brain from another part of the body such as lung or breast is called a metastatic brain tumor. As metastatic brain tumors grow, they can cause symptoms such as headaches, seizures and weakness or balance issues. In some patients, surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) can help alleviate these symptoms in patients who have a limited number of tumors.

In a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, researchers highlight improved outcomes for patients treated with preoperative SRS, particularly in rates of tumor recurrence, adverse radiation effects and spread of tumor cells to the fluid outside of the brain, which is called meningeal disease.

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High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of thinking problems later in life, according to a study published online in March in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Researchers found that people with these disorders had a higher risk of cognitive problems in later life than those who did not have high blood pressure during pregnancy.

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New findings from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine confirm that the rates of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes continue to increase in children and young adults. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children and young adults also had higher incidence rates of diabetes.

The study appeared online in March in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

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