To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Diabetes Duration and Severity May Contribute to Cognitive Problems URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/228372.htm Doctor's Guide August 12, 2008
CHICAGO -- August 12, 2008 -- Individuals with mild cognitive impairment appear more likely to have earlier onset, longer duration, and greater severity of diabetes, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Neurology. Rosebud O. Roberts, MBChB, MS, and colleagues at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, studied individuals from Olmsted County, Minnesota, who were aged 70 to 89 years on October 1, 2004. Participants received a neurological examination, neuropsychological evaluation, and tests of blood glucose levels. They completed an interview with questions about diabetes history, treatment, and complications. A medical records linkage system was used to confirm diabetes history. Rates of diabetes were similar among 329 individuals with mild cognitive impairment and 1,640 participants without mild cognitive impairment. However, mild cognitive impairment was associated with developing diabetes before age 65, having diabetes for 10 years or longer, being treated with insulin, and having diabetes complications. "Severe diabetes mellitus is more likely to be associated with chronic hyperglycaemia, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of cerebral microvascular disease and may contribute to neuronal damage, brain atrophy, and cognitive impairment," the authors wrote. The fact that individuals with diabetic retinopathy were twice as likely to have mild cognitive impairment supports the theory that diabetes-related damage to blood vessels in the brain may contribute to the development of cognitive problems. "Our findings suggest that diabetes mellitus duration and severity, as measured by type of treatment and the presence of diabetes mellitus complications, may be important in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in subjects with diabetes mellitus," authors concluded. "In contrast, late onset of diabetes mellitus, short duration of diabetes mellitus, or well-controlled diabetes mellitus may have a lesser effect." SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.