AHA: Optimal Heart Health Linked to Reduced MCI Risk in Type 2 Diabetes

TUESDAY, Nov. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Having optimal cardiovascular health (CVH) is associated with a reduced risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025, held from Nov. 7 to 10 in New Orleans.

Yilin Yoshida, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, and colleagues examined how Life”s Essential 8 (LE8) and genetic risk for dementia affect the risk for MCI and dementia in a study of 15,613 participants with diabetes from the U.K. Biobank and 20,160 from the All of Us cohort.

The researchers identified 398 MCI and 390 dementia cases in participants with diabetes during 13 years of follow-up in the U.K. Biobank. Individuals with moderate or high versus low CVH had a lower risk for MCI and dementia (hazard ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 0.82 [0.65 to 0.99] and 0.93 [0.73 to 1.17], respectively). Positive and significant associations were seen for increases in LE8 with grey matter volume and negative associations were seen with white matter hyperintensity volume (adjusted β per LE8 20 increase, 0.004 and −0.06, respectively). In the group with high polygenic risk scores, lower risks for MCI and dementia were seen for those with moderate or high CVH (hazard ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 0.55 [0.34 to 0.9] and 0.75 [0.47 to 1.2], respectively). Similar results were seen in the Alzheimer disease dementia analysis, with attenuated statistical significance. The results were generally similar in the All of Us cohort.

“Our study found that following steps to improve cardiovascular health can also reduce the risk for cognitive impairment among people with type 2 diabetes,” Yoshida said in a statement.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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