The Study
Glucose Metabolism and Cognitive Decline in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Syndrome: A Preliminary Study
This study looked at a few people with a rare brain disease and found that those with more wobbly blood sugar also tended to score lower on memory tests. But it didn’t change anyone’s sugar levels to see if it helped — so we don’t know if fixing sugar would help their brains.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Even if you don’t have diabetes, wild swings in your blood sugar might make your thinking and memory worse — especially if your brain’s memory center is already shrinking.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 542 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — even without diabetes, unstable blood sugar may speed up thinking problems in people with these brain diseases, suggesting managing sugar could help preserve memory.
- 2In 22 patients with rare brain diseases: 1) Bigger blood sugar swings = worse memory tests; 2) More brain shrinkage in memory area = worse memory tests; 3) Higher natural insulin signal (C-peptide) = better memory tests; 4) Long-term high sugar (HbA1c) = worse orientation (knowing date/time).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Year
2024
Authors
Natalia Madetko-Alster, Dagmara Otto-Ślusarczyk, M. Struga, M. Kutyłowski, A. Drzewińska, Karolina Duszyńska-Wa̧s, B. Migda, Piotr Alster
Related Content
Claims (6)
When the brain cannot use glucose properly due to disrupted insulin signaling, it receives less energy, leading to reduced cognitive function.
In patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome, higher levels of fasting C-peptide are linked to higher scores on tests of memory, attention, and executive function.
In people with progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal syndrome, higher long-term blood sugar levels are linked to worse performance on tests of temporal orientation.
In patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome, greater fluctuations in blood glucose levels during a glucose tolerance test are linked to lower scores on cognitive tests, regardless of diabetes status, age, or sex.
In patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome, greater shrinkage of the medial temporal lobe observed on MRI scans is linked to lower scores on tests of memory, attention, and executive function.
In patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome, the combination of fluctuating blood sugar levels and shrinkage in the medial temporal lobe explains more of the decline in thinking abilities than either factor by itself.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.