Type 2 Diabetes Independent of Glycemic Control is Associated With Cognitive Impairments: Findings From NHANES.
Rozmin Jiwani, Brittany Dennis, Alfonso L Neri and 4 others
PMID 35614549WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with type 2 diabetes scored lower on memory and thinking tests than those without diabetes, even when diabetes was controlled.
Diabetes self-management support may need cognitive assessment.
Key findings
01In the 804 analysed participants, all four objective cognitive tests showed lower scores in T2D groups than in the no-T2D group.
02After adjustment for demographic and CVD factors, uncontrolled T2D was associated with lower DSST scores (β = -3.164, p = .04), and untreated T2D had a trend toward lower CERAD-DR scores (β = -.496, p = .06).
03Self-reported confusion or memory loss getting worse did not differ across groups, with about 12% reporting it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional analysis, so it cannot show that diabetes caused lower cognitive scores. The analysed sample was 804 people, and the controlled T2D group had only 41 people, so that group's findings are unstable. Cognitive tests were given only to people 60 years and older, limiting younger adults. People with prediabetes were placed in the no T2D group, which may blur differences. Self-reported memory complaints and test scores cannot replace a clinical diagnosis. The controlled T2D group also had more women, poverty, depression, obesity, lower education, and fewer Non-Hispanic White participants, which can affect cognition. Three participants with missing treatment information were classified in the no T2D group.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not name a specific funder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that diabetes causes cognitive decline or that controlled diabetes is safe for the brain. The study is cross-sectional, and after adjustment only uncontrolled T2D had a significant lower processing-speed score; untreated T2D was a trend.