COGNITIVE DECLINE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A COMPREHENSIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic condition with implications affecting
various body systems, encompassing the peripheral nervous system, kidneys, eyes, and, notably, the central nervous system. While cognitive impairments have been acknowledged in DM, particularly in types 1 and 2, comprehensive research remains sparse. Episodes of both
hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia have been associated with cognitive deficits. The underlying
pathophysiological processes, however, remain a subject of ongoing investigation. Moreover,
there exists an apparent gap in consensus concerning diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive
approaches for managing cognitive dysfunctions in DM.
Materials and Methods: This prospective, randomized comparative study occurred at the
Outpatient department, Diabetes Mellitus Clinic, Department of General Medicine, Eeshan
Hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana, from March 2022 to February 2023. The cohort consisted of 51
outpatients diagnosed with type-II diabetes mellitus from the diabetic clinic, juxtaposed with 58
age-similar non-diabetic controls. Participants were randomly chosen, adhering to predefined
criteria post-obtaining explicit written consent. After demographic data acquisition, participants underwent neurocognitive assessment via the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE).
Results: The participant age averaged 54.6 ± 7.24 years. There were no marked statistical
disparities concerning gender allocation (p=0.255), educational attainment (p=0.087), or place of residence (p=0.380) between the diabetic subgroup and control. Contrastingly, type-II diabetic patients exhibited a significantly heightened prevalence of cognitive impairment relative to the control group (p=0.047; p<0.05). In granular detail, of the diabetic subset, 62 subjects registered SMMSE scores beneath the 26 threshold. In contrast, in the control group, 48 participants recorded scores under the same threshold, delineating them as cognitively challenged.