Neuropsychological status of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus

AimDiabetes mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the relationship between DM and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), characterized by isolated memory loss, is unclear. We studied the prevalence of MCI in DM patients.MethodsNeuropsychological status was evaluated using the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT) and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Subjects consisted of 103 consecutive diabetic patients hospitalized for diabetic education. Patients with severe diabetic complications or cerebrovascular accidents were excluded.ResultsNeuropsychological evaluation of DM patients showed that 71% were normal (MMSE score ≥24 and RBMT score ≥15), 5% had amnestic MCI (aMCI) (MMSE score ≥24 and RBMT score <15) and the remaining 23% had dementia (MMSE score <24). The percentage of patients with dementia was significantly higher in the DM group than in the control group (p < 0.04). RBMT score and HbA1c were mildly correlated in diabetic patients.ConclusionHigh blood sugar may cause deterioration in not only memory function but also other cognitive domains in elderly patients with DM. Monitoring the neuropsychological status of this patient population is important.