Heart Health Shields Brain Function in Diabetes Patients

A groundbreaking study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025 reveals that optimal cardiovascular health, as measured by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 metrics, may significantly reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The research, led by corresponding author Yilin Yoshida, Ph.D., M.P.H., FAHA from Tulane University School of Medicine, analyzed health and genetic data from over 40,000 dementia-free adults with Type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank over a 13-year period. The findings demonstrate that even among individuals with a high genetic risk for dementia, maintaining moderate to high cardiovascular health dramatically lowered their risk of cognitive decline, with those having optimal heart health showing a 27% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment and 23% lower risk of dementia compared to those with poor cardiovascular health.

The study specifically examined the impact of following Life's Essential 8, which includes eight crucial components for heart and brain health: eating better, being more active, quitting tobacco, getting healthy sleep, managing weight, controlling cholesterol, managing blood sugar, and managing blood pressure. First author Xiu Wu, Ph.D., emphasized that "genes are not destiny," highlighting how modifiable lifestyle factors can protect brain health even for those with genetic predispositions to cognitive decline. The research also found that better cardiovascular health scores were positively associated with maintained brain volume, an important indicator of cognitive health. An additional analysis of data from the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Hub showed similar trends in a representative U.S. population, reinforcing the universal applicability of these findings.

Hugo Aparicio, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association's Stroke Council Brain Health Committee, noted that these results build on previous research showing the benefits of Life's Essential 8 in reducing cognitive impairment in other populations. The study provides compelling evidence that what's good for the heart is indeed good for the brain, even when genetic factors might seem stacked against individuals. While the study has limitations as an observational review that cannot establish cause and effect, and most people don't undergo genetic testing for dementia risk, the findings offer hope that proactive cardiovascular health management can significantly impact long-term cognitive function and quality of life for the millions of people living with Type 2 diabetes worldwide.