On May 10th LIH PhD student Sam Cooke visited the Boston diabetes support group at the Len Matlock centre in Boston to present and discuss his research on interventions for improving brain function in type 2 diabetes. The event was well attended by members of the support group who were given the opportunity to discuss how diabetes affected their day to day routines with a specific focus on brain function. A talk was then given on how research at the University of Lincoln, undertaken by Sam, could potentially help individuals with type 2 diabetes to improve their brain function.  Individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have a 1.5-2-fold increased risk of developing severe brain complications. Cognitive decline and dementia represent very important public health problems that impact the ability to maintain social function and independent living. Therefore, it is important to identify ways to prevent or even delay the onset of cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes. Specifically, the talk was focused on the application of exercise and brain training for improving braining function and was a great opportunity for Sam to discuss his upcoming study focusing on brain training in type 2 diabetes. Judith Quiceny, head of the support group said, “We thoroughly enjoyed listening to Sam talking about his research, already I have had several individuals asking for Sam’s details and would be happy to help out with this study myself”. This type of activity highlights how public engagement can strengthen the ties between the University’s and their local community!

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