Psychological and Radiological Study of Cognitive Impairment among Diabetic Patients (A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study)

Objective of the study: To assess the cognitive impairment among diabetic patients and explore the potential alterations in various areas of the brain in a sample of diabetic patients in comparison to normal control subjects.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Neuropsychiatry Department, Tanta University and Centre of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery-Tanta University, at the Diabetes& endocrinology unit in the department of internal Medicine, Tanta University Hospitals and at the radiology department, Tanta University Hospitals during the interval from September 2018 to September 2019.

This study was conducted on two groups Group A (60) diabetic patients compared to Group B (20) normal healthy individuals free from any cognitive impairment matched age and sex using psychometric scales e.g. Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) (American psychiatric association, 1994), Stanford-Binet Intelligence quotient (I.Q) fourth edition, Mini mental state examination (MMSE) or Folstein test, The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) test, Trail making test (Part A& part B)& Stroop color_word test (Computerized version).and diffusion tensor imaging. All subjects aged from (18-65) years old.

Results: patients with cognitive impairment represented 53.3% of the diabetic patients. Most of them presented with MCI (45%), while (8.3%) of them presented with dementia. The most affected executive functions in diabetic patients with impaired cognitive functions are delayed recall, attention, naming and language as assessed by MMSE& MOCA scales. There was negative correlation between HBA1C levels and fractional anisotropy in most of areas of interest of statistically significant value.

Conclusion: The higher HBA1C levels (uncontrolled diabetes mellitus), the more cognitive deficits recorded through psychometric tests& DTI.