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Updated: Feb 11, 2026
A Zebrafish Model of Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Memory
Published on: February 28, 2013
Glycemic control is related to cognitive dysfunction in Chinese children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Jing He1,2, Shichen Li1,2, Fang Liu3
1Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Insights
Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) exhibit lower IQ and attention. Early onset, hyperglycemia, DKA, and severe hypoglycemia negatively impact cognitive functions, particularly memory and visuospatial skills.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Neuroscience
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a known risk factor for cognitive impairment.
- Understanding the specific cognitive deficits and their relationship with disease parameters in pediatric T1DM is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cognitive performance between Chinese children with T1DM and healthy controls (HCs).
- To investigate the association between glycemic control and cognitive function in pediatric T1DM.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 105 pediatric T1DM patients and 90 HCs.
- Cognitive assessments included general intelligence, attention, and memory tests.
- Analysis of diabetes-related variables: age of onset, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Main Results:
- T1DM children demonstrated significantly lower IQ and attention scores compared to HCs.
- Earlier diabetes onset (<7 years) correlated with poorer visuospatial perception and logical memory.
- Chronic hyperglycemia and DKA were linked to reduced visuospatial perception and IQ, respectively.
- Early severe hypoglycemia (<7 years) adversely affected visual memory.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric T1DM is associated with deficits in IQ and attention.
- Disease severity factors like early onset, hyperglycemia, DKA, and hypoglycemia significantly impact specific cognitive domains.
- Interventions targeting glycemic control and mitigating early diabetes complications may be vital for cognitive health in T1DM children.
Background:
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is considered a risk factor for the development of cognitive difficulties. The present study examined whether the cognitive performance of Chinese children with T1DM differs from that of healthy control (HC) children, and whether cognitive dysfunction is related to glycemic control.
Methods:
Using a cross-sectional design, cognitive tests were administered, including general intelligence tests, to pediatric T1DM patients (n = 105) and HCs (n = 90). The effects of specific diabetes-related variables, including an earlier diabetes onset (<7 years of age), severe hypoglycemia, chronic hyperglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), on cognitive outcomes were examined.
Results:
The T1DM group had lower IQ (P = 0.001) and attention (P = 0.018) scores than the HC group. Among T1DM patients, a younger age of diabetes onset was related to poorer performance on the visuospatial perception test (P = 0.017) and delayed logical memory (P = 0.012). Greater exposure to hyperglycemia over time was associated with lower visuospatial perception (P = 0.029), and DKA had a negative effect on the IQ score (P = 0.024). Compared with the late severe hypoglycemia subgroup, the early severe hypoglycemia subgroup (<7 years old) performed worse on both immediate (P = 0.001) and delayed (P = 0.049) visual memory tests.
Conclusions:
Chinese children with T1DM showed deficits in IQ and attention. Earlier age of diabetes onset, chronic hyperglycemia, and DKA affected particular cognitive domains. Early exposure to severe hypoglycemia had negative effects on visual memory.
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