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Neurocognitive functioning in preschool-age children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Anna Maria Patiño-Fernández1, Alan M Delamater, E Brooks Applegate

  • 1University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Division of Clinical Psychology, Miami, FL 33136, USA.

Pediatric Diabetes
|May 12, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) show average cognitive skills compared to healthy peers. However, poor glycemic control in T1DM is linked to lower cognitive abilities and fine motor speed.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) can impact neurocognitive functioning in children.
  • Age of onset is a key factor, but the effects of glycemic extremes remain unclear.
  • Early childhood neurocognition in T1DM requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare neurocognitive functioning in preschool-aged children with T1DM (diagnosed before age 6) versus healthy controls.
  • To examine the relationship between glycemic control (HbA1c) and neurocognitive outcomes in young children with T1DM.
  • To assess cognitive, language, and fine motor skills in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 68 preschool-aged children (mean age 4.4 years) participated.
  • 36 children had T1DM, and 32 served as healthy controls.
  • A comprehensive battery of tests measured cognitive, language, and fine motor abilities.

Main Results:

  • Children with T1DM performed comparably to healthy controls, with both groups falling within the average range.
  • Among children with T1DM, higher HbA1c levels correlated with lower general cognitive abilities (r = -0.44, p < 0.04).
  • Poor glycemic control was also associated with slower fine motor speed (r = -0.64, p < 0.02) and lower receptive language scores (r = -0.39, p < 0.04).

Conclusions:

  • Young children with T1DM exhibit average neurocognitive functioning compared to peers without chronic illness.
  • Chronic hyperglycemia, indicated by higher HbA1c, is linked to negative neurocognitive effects even in early childhood.
  • These findings highlight the importance of early glycemic management to protect neurodevelopment in children with T1DM.

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