Diabetes can damage the kidneys and other organs, but the findings show that the brain may be especially vulnerable to damage from elevated blood sugar levels—perhaps because the sugar causes inflammation in the tiny blood vessels of the brain. “Every incrementally higher glucose level was associated with a higher risk of dementia,” researcher Paul Crane of the University of Washington tells the Associated Press. To reduce the risk of high blood sugar and dementia, researchers said, people should eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a normal weight.