Keeping Grey Matter Healthy - Metabolic Disorders and the Brain
Manage episode 339157659 series 3314947
When you think about how to be more healthy, one of the things you might think about is your body weight. When our body weight is higher than what is considered healthy for our height, we might be described as overweight or obese and some common health issues come to mind when we think about being overweight: Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
But body weight and related metabolic conditions like diabetes are also linked to our brain health and, in particular, our risk for Alzheimer's disease. With obesity at epidemic proportions, high economic costs of health-related issues, and an increasingly aging population, understanding the connection between obesity and brain health is critical. Thankfully, researchers are investigating obesity and cognitive decline and what might be done to protect our brains as we age.
Guest Notes: Dr. Catrina Robinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology in the MUSC College of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding the role of metabolic disorders (such as prediabetes, diabetes, and obesity) on brain health and aging, as well as understanding the pathways involved in developing novel therapeutic targets to improve brain health.
Show Reference Links:
Robinson Research Lab at MUSC
Can diabetes lead to cognitive impairment? - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease
Diabetes Impact in South Carolina Fact Sheet - Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina
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