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Updated: May 6, 2026

Hippocampal Insulin Microinjection and In vivo Microdialysis During Spatial Memory Testing
Published on: January 11, 2013
Higher glucose levels associated with lower memory and reduced hippocampal microstructure.
Lucia Kerti1, A Veronica Witte, Angela Winkler
1From the Departments of Neurology (L.K., A.V.W., A.W., A.F.) and Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology (U.G.), NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence (A.V.W., A.F.), and Center for Stroke Research Berlin (U.G., A.F.), Charité-University Medicine, Berlin; and Department of Psychiatry (D.R.), University of Halle, Germany.
Even in healthy older adults, higher blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) negatively impact memory performance and brain structure. Lowering glucose levels, even within the normal range, may benefit cognitive function in aging populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Elevated blood glucose is a known risk factor for cognitive decline in diabetes.
- The impact of glucose levels within the normal range on cognition in non-diabetic older adults is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose levels with memory performance.
- To examine the relationship between these metabolic markers and hippocampal volume and microstructure in healthy older adults.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 141 non-diabetic older adults (mean age 63.1 years).
- Memory assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test.
- Hippocampal volume and microstructure measured via 3-tesla MRI; HbA1c, glucose, and insulin levels analyzed.
Main Results:
- Lower HbA1c and glucose levels correlated with better memory recall, learning, and consolidation.
- HbA1c showed a strong association with memory performance in regression models.
- Mediation analysis revealed that hippocampal volume and microstructure partially mediate the beneficial effects of lower HbA1c on memory.
Conclusions:
- Chronically elevated blood glucose, even below diabetic thresholds, negatively affects cognition in older adults.
- Structural changes in the hippocampus may underlie the cognitive impact of higher glucose levels.
- Strategies to lower glucose within the normal range could potentially enhance cognitive function in aging individuals.
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