title: Type-2 diabetes and cognitive function in a non-demented population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study if type-2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is associated with cognitive dysfunction independently of clinically diagnosed dementia in an elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cognitive function was investigated with a brief neuropsychological test battery in a non-demented elderly population consisting of 183 NIDDM (World Health Organization, 1985) patients and 732 non-diabetic subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with NIDDM were impaired in the Trail-Making Test parts A and C, which may be a reflection of mildly affected frontal lobe/executive functions. Women with NIDDM performed better than non-diabetic subjects in the Mini-Mental State Examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that NIDDM per se is not associated with impaired memory in the elderly, and the minor defects observed in tests of frontal lobe/executive functions are unlikely to affect daily living. In the non-demented population aged 69 78 years, NIDDM does not carry a significant risk of cognitive dysfunction, when compared to the non-diabetic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanhanen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuusisto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koivisto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mykkänen
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Helkala
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hänninen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soininen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laakso
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors