Elevated levels of glucose in the body may affect a person’s short-term memory, according to new research.

Dr Scott Small of Columbia University Medical Center found an increased level of glucose in the blood can affect the dentate gyrus, an area of the brain involved with the creation of short-term memories, the St. Petersberg Times reports.

"As we age our muscle cells become less sensitive to insulin, so we have glucose spiking in our blood, and the dentate gyrus is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in glucose," Small told the news provider.

This occurs because glucose lingers in the blood after a meal, especially in older people, according to the article. In response, the pancreas pumps out more insulin, which normally changes glucose into muscle cells. But because the older cells don’t respond to the insulin in the same way, it leaves extra glucose in the blood.

Small’s research may offer a clue as to why people suffering from diabetes are more prone to memory problems, even without an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.

"A study we did a couple of years ago found that physical exercise improves the function of the dentate gyrus by improving glucose utilization," Small said.