Scientists link sleep disorders to diabetes

Scientists have discovered a gene that links type 2 diabetes and sleep disorders, according to a study of more than 36,000 people. The finding, backed by two others published today, suggests a connection between diabetes and the way the body responds to the 24-hour cycle of light and dark.The new genetic research points to a gene involved in detecting melatonin - a hormone that is part of the body's internal body clock - and an increased risk of diabetes. Other genes have previously been linked to high levels of glucose in the blood, but the melatonin receptor is the first gene to be linked to both high blood sugar and increased risk of diabetes."We have extremely strong, incontrovertible evidence that the gene encoding melatonin receptor 1B is associated with high fasting glucose levels and increased risk of type 2 diabetes," said Professor Mark McCarthy, of the Oxford Centre for Diabetes,...

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