Abnormally high blood sugar in individuals with type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is associated with impaired cognitive performance, a Dutch epidemiological study finds.1
Hyperglycemia is known to cause various long-term complications such as damage to retina, nerve and kidney, cardiovascular disease, and infections. Dutch researchers from the Department of Internal Medicine at Maastricht University Medical Centre and Department of Neurology at University Medical Centre Utrecht were interested in whether differences in glucose metabolism status were associated with cognitive performance, in patients of T2D.
They reviewed cross-sectional data from 2531 individuals from the Maastricht Study—one of the most extensive population studies that focuses on the etiology of T2D, its classic complications and its emerging comorbidities. All participants completed an analysis of variables of glucose metabolism, blood pressure-related variables, and a neuropsychological test battery.
The data found that, compared with those with normal glucose metabolism, individuals with T2D performed worse in all assessed cognitive domains, including memory, processing speed, and executive function and attention. Further investigation showed that hyperglycemia, followed by blood pressure, was most responsible for the observed association.
This study demonstrated the association between T2D hyperglycemia and cognitive function. The mechanisms underlying T2D associated cognitive dysfunction are not completely understood and require further investigations.
The study results were published in Diabetes Care (November 2017).
Why is this Clinically Relevant?
- As the prevalence of T2D continues to rise, so too will T2D-associated cognitive dysfunction
- Data from this study suggest that glycemic and blood pressure control early on or even during the prediabetes stage may be a promising strategy for the prevention of T2D-associated decrements in cognitive performance
Read the Diabetes Care abstract
Read related publications based on the Maastricht Study
References
- Geijselaers, S.L.C., et al., The Role of Hyperglycemia, Insulin Resistance, and Blood Pressure in Diabetes-Associated Differences in Cognitive Performance-The Maastricht Study. Diabetes Care, 2017. 40(11): p. 1537-1547.
