Medics conduct research into diabetes and the brain

Medical researchers in Sheffield have discovered that diabetic nerve damage causes more harm in the brain than previously thought, shedding new light on the disease.

New findings reveal the extent of damage patients suffering with the disease can endure in areas of the brain called 'grey matter' - a key part of the central nervous system which is involved in touch and pain sensory perception.

During the study researchers used advances in brain imaging to take detailed nerve assessments of the brain. This revealed that the size of certain brain regions in people with diabetic neuropathy was significantly lower than those without the disease.

The breakthrough could pave the way for better assessment and monitoring of the disease, which affects around a third of people with diabetes.