Metabolic parameters and cognitive function in a cohort of older diabetic patients

Dementia is one of the most disabling conditions associated with old age. With increasing life expectancy, prevalence of both dementia and diabetes is rising. The complex pathological relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and dementia has been studied, but is not yet fully understood.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic parameters and the cognitive function in older diabetics.

A total number of 360 diabetic subjects, age 65 years and over, and 300 older people controls were included. Clinical and biological parameters, together with the cognitive function, were assessed every 6 months over a 18-month period, for each study participant.

By employing a multivariate linear regression analysis, several significant relationships have been identified: between Clock Drawing Test (CDT) scores and HbA1c (R ² = 0.68); between CDT scores (R ² = 0.51) and overall MMSE scores (R ² = 0.43) on one hand, and DM duration in years, on the other hand; also between CDT scores and BMI (R ² = 0.59). There was no significant association between fasting serum glucose (FSG), total serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or triglycerides levels and cognitive function scores (p > 0.05).

The close detailed monitoring of the cognitive function and a rigorous metabolic control are important, especially in the very early stages of DM. Addressing factors such as weight control in older diabetic patients could contribute to better cognitive outcomes.