A study conducted by Michigan Medicine identified an association between lipid biomarkers and risk of nerve damage (neuropathy) in people with Type 2 Diabetes. Lipids are organic compounds composed of fats and oils. A biomarker is a naturally occurring molecule, gene, or characteristic by which a disease can be identified.
The study looked at serum samples from 70 people with Type 2 Diabetes who were tested for nerve damage 10 years later. The results published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology showed that a higher nerve damage was seen in those people who had changes in lipids denoting a weakened ability for energy metabolism. A pattern was identified which highlighted a signalling dysfunction in an important pathway called b-oxidation. The function of b-oxidation is to convert lipid into nerve energy. Its weakened state causes lesser energy to reach the nerves which in turn damages the nerves causing neuropathy. This dysfunction appeared in the samples which were obtained 10 years prior to onset of neuropathy.
