Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MissKitka on May 19, 2012 at 6:18pm

Dov,
Having a chronic illness would be depressing for anyone. Being depressed causes worse depression. In 1969 I accepted diabetes as a valuable part of me and if anyone offered me a cure tomorrow I would turn that down in a second. I am a compassionate and moral person thanks in part to being diabetic. I would never want it any other way, and BTW I am not depressed. After 53 years of T1 I am still as sharp as I ever was and I design vacuum tube circuits and write every day. Life is great.
Don

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Permalink Reply by Gary on May 19, 2012 at 7:28pm

How strange. A life threatening disease that screws with your cognitive function causes depression. What will they figure out next?? Its pretty safe to say my brain is toast. The sugar swings have literally baked any sanity and brain function I had. I'm sorry Misskitka but opting to pass on a cure is about the dumbest thing I think I've heard anyone ever say. A cure can't come fast enough.

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Permalink Reply by GinaY on May 20, 2012 at 7:47am

I for one am positive my cognitive functioning HAS been impaired by T1.

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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on May 20, 2012 at 1:14pm

Oh my, Gary, I am sorry, but I think I will join the dumb club too. Sheesh, can you chill, that wasn't a very nice thing to say to MK.

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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on May 20, 2012 at 12:47am

Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging, the researchers looked at brain glutamate levels in 123 people with type 1 diabetes with varying degrees of lifetime glycemic control and 38 subjects without diabetes.

This study has too many built in variables, and the test groups are way too small to be valuable. I think that the money used to fund this research could have been spent on something more useful. I doubt that anti-glutamine pills will be very helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Karen on May 20, 2012 at 8:07am

http://news.yahoo.com/diabetes-toll-emotions-231012402.html

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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on May 20, 2012 at 1:48pm

I believe you're missing my point. Not surpisingly, there is data suggesting that people suffering from ALL chronic illnesses are vulnerable to depression. More interestingly, there is also data suggesting that depressed people are more likely to develop chronic illnesses.

According to the OP, the study cited is a lot more about "cognitive function" due to 9% increased glutamate in the brains of diabetics. Besides other obvious flaws in the design of this study, there are many other factors in diabetes that can account for the findings.

mild neuropathy could explain lower psychomotor speeds

Hypoglycemia and / or brain damage could easily explain impaired memory or executive function.

Comparing 2 groups of diabetics, or nondiabetics, for that matter with varying glutamate level would tell us a lot more about glutamate and the diabetic brain.

Notice that, no one even bothers to link directly to the study cited. The whole thing appears so ill-conceived that I have to question its motives.

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Permalink Reply by Zoe on May 20, 2012 at 11:15am

I've always been aware that statistics could be used to prove a thing or its direct opposite, depending on how you skewed the results. But it isn't until I started looking at studies on Diabetes that I saw so much flawed research! We've been given studies done by undergraduates on this site, which I sort of don't expect a lot from, but some of the studies I've seen are so-called professional ones and they are still incredibly flawed. Diabetes research seems to bring out everything from the merely ignorant to the hopelessly confused to the downright manipulative!

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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on May 20, 2012 at 11:07pm

This is what I find depressing.

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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on May 21, 2012 at 4:00am

I think that diabetes research is inherently flawed by the reliance on "goals" of 7.0 A1C type of numbers? That's very challenging for a lot of people but seems like it would skew long-term results of any studies towards results reflecting long term exposure to BG > normal levels for "straight" people without diabetes, and all that goes along with that.

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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on May 20, 2012 at 9:15am

Well, I think that it really doesn't matter one way or another. Our brains are amazing and resilient and we can work hard to make sure that we give them the best care we can by keeping track of or BGs, eating healthy, exercising and staying active and by all means staying positive. I think that we should all give our brains a big pat on the head for working so hard for us and be glad that we have the tools to keep healthy. Our brains are working hard every day doing a fantastic job of regulating everything we do. I don't care what my IQ is as long as I am able to realize how thankful I am for all that my brain does for me each and every day.Our brains are beautiful and I am thankful every day for mine. I live with a person who has a traumatic brain injury and even though this has affected his life greatly, I know that he pretty much feels the same way.


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Permalink Reply by Rye on May 20, 2012 at 9:22am

I have always been depressed but it was before diabetes and its always a reason why...so I am not sure about the link., however I did notice I have less patients since taking insulin. I get attitudes quicker and that wasn't my personality before. I am not mean but I'm just a lil more annoyed...I also do have a vitamin D deficiency and if I do not have any my mood is low.

I think depression is one of those things like anger where u have a choice to dwell in it or do something about it. Self will is much stronger than you know and I believe people who are angry, bitter, or depressed are exactly where they want to be. I know for myself I tell people I am not ready to be happy because I know ultimately I have the power to change that.

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