Is there a connection between schizophrenia and diabetes?
Research increasingly suggests there may be an important relationship. For a long time, medical practitioners have noticed many schizophrenia patients develop type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, but the facts around this were unclear.
Thanks to recent studies, we now know much more.
Patients who suffer from schizophrenia may be as much as two to three times more likely than the general population to suffer from diabetes later on. Likewise, patients with diabetes are more likely than others to develop schizophrenia and other psychiatric issues.
How does diabetes develop? Diabetes in all its forms is related to insulin resistance. Insulin is a human hormone that regulates the intake and processing of glucose derived from carbohydrates. Insulin resistance describes the inability of the body to produce or use insulin efficiently.
Schizophrenia Sufferers Should Prepare To Mitigate Diabetes Risk
Although nobody can say with certainty what causes the correlation between schizophrenia and diabetes, it is becoming more obvious that diabetes risk evaluation should be part of the primary care plan for anyone suffering schizophrenia, and vice-versa.
Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder characterized by the following:
- Disordered thinking, problems remembering things and delusions;
- Frequently, auditory or visual hallucinations or intrusive thoughts;
- Mood disruptions that may include anger, anxiety or detachment;
- Fatigue, impaired motor coordination and difficulty communicating.
Schizophrenia has no single, established cause, although it is well understood that problems with neurochemistry contribute to it. Medical imaging shows distinct differences between the brains of sufferers and those of non-sufferers.
Because of the complications caused by schizophrenia, sufferers often have difficulty accessing the care they need for their other health complaints. It may be difficult for them to find a physician who will be receptive to their concerns – or it may be hard for them to make themselves understood.
With all this in mind, doctors, caregivers and family members of those with schizophrenia should be alert to the risk of diabetes. Early symptoms of adult diabetes, such as extreme thirst and hunger, fatigue and blurred vision, are easy to overlook.
Synergy Research Centers Continues To Probe The Schizophrenia-Diabetes Link
At Synergy Research Centers, we are devoted to a research agenda that helps improve the lives of patients with chronic illnesses and mental health concerns. Our studies include participants suffering from diabetes, schizophrenia and both in tandem.
To learn more, contact us.