Understanding Type 3 Diabetes: A Closer Look at Its Connection to Alzheimer’s Disease

Type 3 diabetes is a term that has been coined to describe Alzheimer’s disease with brain insulin deregulation and dementia. While this terminology is not widely understood in medicine, it emphasizes a crucial link between the metabolic condition and mental decline.

What is Type 3 Diabetes?

Type 3 diabetes has two distinct forms:

• Alzheimer’s Disease: This disease is caused by insulin-resistance leading to neurodegeneration.

• Diabetes type 3c: Also called pancreatogenic diabetes, it develops when injury to the exocrine pancreas interferes with insulin production in the endocrine pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer can all contribute to this condition.

Causes and Risk Factors

According to a 2022 review of research, the risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia is between 45 and 90 percent in people with type 2 diabetes. The second is the data that indicates type 2 diabetic women are at greater risk than men of vascular dementia. 

More important, Alzheimer’s has been described as a neuroendocrine disease with dysfunctional insulin and IGF signaling. That dysregulation encourages inflammation and oxidative stress, the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. 

Potential risk factors for type 3 diabetes include:

• Family history of diabetes

• Hypertension

• Low birth weight

• Diets that are high in sugars and fats, and low in fiber

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Obesity

• Chronic health conditions (e.g., PCOS, depression)

• Stress exposure

• Certain racial or ethnic backgrounds

Additionally, the APOE4 gene has been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Type 3 Diabetes Symptoms

Symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease can serve as indicators for type 3 diabetes. Early signs include:

• Memory loss negatively affects daily life and social interactions

• Impaired judgment

• Difficulty with communication or familiar tasks

• Confusion about time and place

• Misplacing items frequently

• Problem-solving challenges

• Personality changes

• Withdrawal from social activities

While some memory changes are natural with aging, a progressive worsening of these symptoms requires professional attention. Recognizing type 3 diabetes symptoms early on is critical for effective management.

Diagnosis

Type 3 Diabetes Mellitus is not officially recognized and lacks a specific diagnostic test. Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed usually through neurological testing and neurophysiological tests. While consulting a healthcare provider, you may expect them to ask you questions about your family history, symptoms, and condition.

Imaging tests might be suggested, including:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• Computed Tomography (CT) scan

They can also analyze cerebrospinal fluid for markers of Alzheimer’s disease. Even in a patient who has symptoms of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s but still has not been diagnosed, clinicians may suggest blood sugar and an A1c test.

If diabetes has been confirmed with a previous or new test, treatment should be initiated as soon as possible. It’s essential if we are to halt further bodily damage, including brain injury, potentially slowing the rate of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The Link Between Type 3 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease

Healthcare professionals typically do not refer to "type 3 diabetes" as a diagnostic label for Alzheimer’s or related conditions. Instead, Alzheimer’s is diagnosed through established criteria after conducting comprehensive mental, physical, and psychological assessments.

Studies are now underway to try to tie Alzheimer’s and diabetes together. Researchers have even proposed that insulin resistance in the body could drive Alzheimer’s. This relationship is still emerging, but for now, untreated diabetes is recognized as a risk factor for vascular dementia. Untreated blood sugar spikes can cause inflammation and damage brain cells. Vascular dementia could also be a precursor to Alzheimer’s.

How to Treat Type 3 Diabetes

While there is no type 3 diabetes cure currently available, type 3 diabetes treatment focuses on managing symptoms associated with both type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Based on the diagnosis, healthcare providers can gauge the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The cognitive symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease can be treated with prescription drugs.

Doctors may prescribe medications aimed at reducing memory loss and the decline in cognitive functions. Additionally, they might recommend drugs to alleviate behavioral and psychological symptoms, including insomnia.

Anti-amyloid antibody intravenous infusion therapy: These drugs target and help eliminate beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, potentially altering the course of cognitive and functional decline in the early stages of the disease.

NMDA-receptor antagonists can also help slow the progression of Alzheimer's and alleviate its symptoms. 

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors work to enhance communication between brain cells. 

For patients experiencing symptoms such as depression and mood swings, psychotropic medications may be prescribed, along with antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, in certain situations. 

In the advanced stages of the disease, some individuals may require antipsychotic medications as the condition worsens.