Study Reveals How Diabetes "Hijacks" Your Brain's Memory Center
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted July 7, 2025
The damage uncontrolled diabetes can do—from your eyes to your kidneys—is well known.
But now, alarming new research shows it could also be damaging your brain in ways we never imagined.
In fact, researchers have found that type 2 diabetes may “rewire” the brain in ways eerily similar to early Alzheimer’s.
Here’s what you need to know…
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience uncovered disturbing evidence that type 2 diabetes impairs the brain’s reward and memory processing in ways that mirror the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
The research reveals that diabetes impairs crucial signals in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region vital for decision-making, emotion regulation, and impulse control.
Even more concerning, the study found that the connection between the ACC and the hippocampus—our brain’s memory center—becomes disrupted in diabetic patients.
This disrupted connection closely mimics the cognitive changes seen in early Alzheimer’s, lending scientific support to what some researchers have suggested for years—Alzheimer’s should be considered “type 3 diabetes” or “brain diabetes.”
But there’s also good news. Natural blood sugar control may help protect your brain.
Here are some proven strategies to keep your glucose levels in check:
- Prioritize whole foods over processed ones, focusing on vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Add cinnamon to your diet—it improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar levels.
- Eat more chromium-rich foods like broccoli, green beans, and whole grains, which enhance insulin’s effectiveness.
- Get regular physical activity—even a 15-minute walk after meals can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes.
- Try intermittent fasting—giving your body a break from glucose can improve insulin sensitivity.
When you take these steps to control your blood sugar naturally, you’re not just managing diabetes—you may be protecting your brain against cognitive decline and reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s.
P.S. It’s time to take out the brain trash—and slash Alzheimer’s.
Source:
Guncha Bhasin, Emmanuel Flores, Lauren A. Crew, Ryan A. Wirt, ACC reward location information is carried by hippocampal theta synchrony and suppressed in a Type 2 Diabetes model. Guncha Bhasin, Emmanuel Flores, Lauren A. Crew, Ryan A. Wirt, Andrew A. Ortiz, Jefferson W. Kinney, James M. Hyman, Journal of Neuroscience 24 March 2025, e1546242025; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1546-24.2025
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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