Neuropsychological functioning in older people with type 2 diabetes: the effect of controlling for confounding factors.
OBJECTIVE
Neuropsychological functioning was examined in a group of 33 older (mean age 62.40 +/- 9.62 years) people with Type 2 diabetes (Group 1) and 33 non-diabetic participants matched with Group 1 on age, sex, premorbid intelligence and presence of hypertension and cardio/cerebrovascular conditions (Group 2).


RESULTS
Data statistically corrected for confounding factors obtained from the diabetic group were compared with the matched control group. The results suggested small cognitive deficits in diabetic people's verbal memory and mental flexibility (Logical Memory A and SS7). No differences were seen between the two samples in simple and complex visuomotor attention, sustained complex visual attention, attention efficiency, mental double tracking, implicit memory, and self-reported memory problems.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate minimal cognitive impairment in relatively uncomplicated Type 2 diabetes and demonstrate the importance of control and matching for confounding factors.
Asimakopoulou
K G
KG
Department of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK. K.Asimakopoulou@herts.ac.uk
Hampson
S E
SE
Morrish
N J
NJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011336:Probability; D015203:Reproducibility of Results