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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid
Published on: April 7, 2023
Type 2 diabetes, skin autofluorescence, and brain atrophy
Chris Moran1, Gerald Münch2, Josephine M Forbes3
1Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with brain atrophy, but the mechanisms underlying this link are unknown. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in T2DM, resulting in inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein cross-linking, which are known contributors to neurodegeneration. We aimed to study whether tissue AGE accumulation is associated with T2DM-related brain atrophy. We performed brain magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive tests, and noninvasive skin autofluorescence (SAF; a measure of tissue AGE levels) on people aged >55 years with and without T2DM. Multivariable linear regression was used to study the relationships among T2DM, SAF, and gray matter volume (GMV). There were 486 people included in the study. T2DM was associated with greater SAF. Greater SAF, T2DM, and cognitive impairment were each associated with lower GMV independently of age, sex, and total intracranial volume. SAF partially mediated the association between T2DM and GMV. Longitudinal studies may help confirm whether tissue AGE accumulation is associated with brain atrophy in T2DM.
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