Diabetics are pessimists
Depression, low quality of life and problems in regulating blood sugar levels are some of the factors, which people with Type 2 and Pre-diabetes face due to negativity
People with Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes are more likely to focus on and have a strong emotional response to threats and negative things, which affects quality of life and increases risk for depression, according to new research. The study, which appears in Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests those negative feelings of sadness, anger, and anxiety — which can be a daily occurrence for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes — may stem from problems regulating blood sugar levels that influence emotional response in the brain.
Researchers analysed data on startle response, brain activity, cortisol levels, and cognitive assessment. Data came from Midlife in the US (MIDUS), a national study of health and well-being. Gauging the startle response allowed researchers to measure central nervous system activity using tiny electrodes placed below the eye, says Auriel Willette, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University.
Study participants viewed a series of negative, positive, and neutral images intended to elicit an emotional response. The electrodes captured the rate of flinch or startle, a contraction we cannot control, associated with each image.
“People with higher levels of insulin resistance were more startled by negative pictures. By extension, they may be more reactive to negative things in life,” Willette says. “It is one piece of evidence to suggest that these