(17-01-05) Type 2 diabetes tied to reduced cognitive performance in middle age

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While several studies have demonstrated poorer cognitive function in older adults with type 2 diabetes compared to older adults without diabetes, a new study in the current issue of Neurology extends this association to middle-aged adults with diabetes.

This is important for two reasons, study author Dr. Meena Kumari told Reuters Health. "Firstly, diabetes is associated with poorer cognitive performance in younger age groups, which suggests that diabetes itself is associated with cognitive decline. Secondly, as the incidence of diabetes in younger age groups is increasing, this has implications for the management of diabetes in these groups."
Dr. Kumari and Dr. Michael Marmot, both from the International Centre for Health and Society in London, UK, examined the association between diabetes and cognitive performance in 4,020 men and 1,627 women with a mean age of 56 in the prospective Whitehall II study that began in 1985-1988.
By 1997-1999, a total of 208 men (5%) and 101 women (6%) had developed diabetes while 405 men (10%) and 192 women (12%) had impaired glucose tolerance.
Diabetes, but not impaired glucose tolerance, was associated with a significant decrement in cognitive function score, according to Drs. Kumari and Marmot.
Of note, the odds ratio for poor performance on the AH4 test of inductive reasoning was 2.45 in men with diabetes and 1.83 in women with diabetes compared to those without. This relationship was not explained by confounding factors of age, health-related behaviors, or hypertension.
It is also worth noting, Dr. Kumari said, that "we found a poorer cognitive function score in those that had been diagnosed (with diabetes) as early as two to five years previously and that it was explained by the metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes."

Source : Neurology 2005;65:1597-1603.

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