BIOPHYSICAL CORRELATES OF COGNITION AMONG DEPRESSED AND NONDEPRESSED TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS
- Virginia Elderkin-Thompson, Ph.D. (velderkin{at}mednet.ucla.edu)a,
- Gerhard Hellemann, Ph.D.b,
- Rakesh K. Gupta, M.D.c and
- Anand Kumar, M.D.a
- aSemel Insitute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Geriatric Division, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024
- bSemel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Biostats Core, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024
- cSanjay Gandhi Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Lucknow, India
Abstract
Objective: Caudate magnetization transfer (MT) ratios have indicated an abnormality in the macromolecular protein pool of diabetic patients. This study examined the relationship between MT ratios of the caudate and cognitive performance.
Research design and methods: Diabetic patients, diabetic and depressed patients, and healthy comparison subjects completed magnetic resonance imaging and a neuropsychological battery. Magnetization transfer ratios of caudate and 3 comparison regions were computed. The neuropsychological battery was aggregated into a global index of cognitive function and correlated with MT ratios.
Results: MT ratios of the caudate correlated with cognitive performance, and the correlations were stronger among diabetic patients than healthy controls. Comorbid depression increased the strength of the correlation compared to diabetes alone. Comparison regions showed no evidence of a diabetes effect on cognition.
Conclusion: One mechanism precipitating cognitive loss during diabetes appears to be associated with cellular changes occurring in the macromolecular protein pool of the caudate.
Footnotes
-
- Received May 14, 2008.
- Accepted September 19, 2008.
- Copyright © American Diabetes Association
