Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
Prediabetes and diabetes accelerate cognitive decline and predict microvascular lesions: A population-based cohort
Anna Marseglia1, Laura Fratiglioni2, Grégoria Kalpouzos1
1Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Introduction:
The impact of prediabetes and diabetes on cognitive decline and the potential underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether prediabetes and diabetes accelerate cognitive decline and brain aging, and the initial pathological changes linked to microvascular processes.
Methods:
Nine-year longitudinal data from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care-Kungsholmen (n = 2746, age ≥60 years) and the magnetic resonance imaging subsample (n = 455) were used. Cognitive function was assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination. Brain magnetic resonance imaging markers included total brain tissue, white matter, gray matter, white matter hyperintensities, and hippocampal volumes.
Results:
Compared with diabetes-free status, prediabetes and diabetes were independently associated with accelerated cognitive decline. Prediabetes was cross-sectionally associated with smaller total brain tissue volume (P < .01), particularly smaller white matter volume. Diabetes was associated with larger white matter hyperintensities volume. Longitudinally, diabetes was associated with faster white matter hyperintensities accumulation. No associations between prediabetes or diabetes and hippocampal volume were found.
Discussion:
Diabetes and prediabetes accelerate cognitive decline and might predict microvascular lesions among dementia-free older adults.
Related Concept Videos
Conservation of Declining Populations
Magnetic Declination
Cognitive Dissonance
What is Population Genetics?
Accelerators
The effectiveness of calcium chloride can...
What are Populations and Communities?

