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Brain changes in overweight/obese and normal-weight adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Yoon S, Cho H, Kim J, Lee DW, Kim GH, Hong YS, Moon S, Park S, Lee S, Lee S, Bae S, Simonson DC, Lyoo IK (2017) Diabetologia.  2017 Apr.  doi: 10.1007/s00125-017-4266-7. [Epub ahead of print] 

Web URL: Read this and related abstracts on PubMed here

Abstract:

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS:

Overweight and obesity may significantly worsen glycaemic and metabolic control in type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about the effects of overweight and obesity on the brains of people with type 2 diabetes. Here, we investigate whether the presence of overweight or obesity influences the brain and cognitive functions during early stage type 2 diabetes.

METHODS:

This study attempted to uncouple the effects of overweight/obesity from those of type 2 diabetes on brain structures and cognition. Overweight/obese participants with type 2 diabetes had more severe and progressive abnormalities in their brain structures and cognition during early stage type 2 diabetes compared with participants with normal weight. Relationships between each of these measures and disease duration were also examined.

RESULTS:

Global mean cortical thickness was lower in the overweight/obese type 2 diabetes group than in the normal-weight type 2diabetes group (z = -2.96, p for group effect = 0.003). A negative correlation was observed between disease duration and global mean white matter integrity (z = 2.42, p for interaction = 0.02) in the overweight/obese type 2 diabetes group, but not in the normal-weight type 2 diabetes group. Overweight/obese individuals with type 2 diabetes showed a decrease in psychomotor speed performance related to disease duration (z = -2.12, p for interaction = 0.03), while normal-weight participants did not.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION:

The current study attempted to uncouple the effects of overweight/obesity from those of type 2diabetes on brain structures and cognition. Overweight/obese participants with type 2 diabetes had more severe and progressive abnormalities in brain structures and cognition during early stage type 2 diabetes compared with normal-weight participants.

FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:

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