Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Threefold Increase in Dementia Risk

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/dementia/120398...

Published: Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:37:31 -0400

Older adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes had a higher risk of dementia. A US prospective cohort study found that compared to people without diabetes, older adults with type 1 diabetes had a nearly threefold higher risk of dementia. The study focused on long-term glycemic control in elderly patients with type 1 diabetes. Patients with most exposure to HbA1c 8–8.9% and ≥9% had an increased risk of dementia. Conversely, those with most exposure to HbA1c 6–6.9% and 7–7.9% had a reduced risk of dementia. In fully adjusted models, patients with long-term exposure to higher HbA1c were more than twice as likely to develop dementia. With long-term exposure to well-controlled HbA1c, the risk of dementia was approximately 60% lower.[1]