Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Modern research studies reveal a negative impact of diabetes on cognitive function. Nonetheless, little is known about the risk factors that are involved in this disturbance. The present study aimed to examine the associations among cognitive/emotional functions and a number of metabolic factors associated with diabetes, in order to identify a possible link between cognitive decline and diabetes.

Materials and methods: One hundred thirty five people (n=135) from the region of Thessaloniki participated in the study. The sample consisted of patients from the outpatient diabetes clinic (First department of internal medicine AHEPA Hospital) and the local center of Alzheimer and Dementia. Two groups (diabetics and control) were investigated in this cross-sectional study. Only subjects with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia were recruited in this study with those suffering from heavy dementia being excluded. A wide range of metabolic factors were investigated as well as cognitive function assessment using cognitive screening tests.

Results: In the group of diabetic patients a significant greater cognitive impairment, assessed with MOCA test, was revealed. Cognitive function was not associated with the duration of diabetes and metabolic deregulation, as assessed by HbA1c. A significant mild positive correlation between total cholesterol and triglycerides with cognitive function was found in the group of diabetic patients. A similar correlation between HDL and ADCS-ADL was present in the group of non diabetic patients. A mild positive correlation between waist circumference and cognitive function (ADCS-ADL test) was found in the group of diabetic patients. Peripheral neuropathy showed strong negative correlation with cognitive function.

Conclusion: It seems that metabolic abnormalities that accompany diabetes mellitus may provide a great amount of risk factors responsible for mild cognitive impairment and dementia.