title: Type 2 diabetes, skin autofluorescence, and brain atrophy.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with brain atrophy, but the mechanisms underlying this link are unknown. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in T2DM, resulting in inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein cross-linking, which are known contributors to neurodegeneration. We aimed to study whether tissue AGE accumulation is associated with T2DM-related brain atrophy. We performed brain magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive tests, and noninvasive skin autofluorescence (SAF; a measure of tissue AGE levels) on people aged >55 years with and without T2DM. Multivariable linear regression was used to study the relationships among T2DM, SAF, and gray matter volume (GMV). There were 486 people included in the study. T2DM was associated with greater SAF. Greater SAF, T2DM, and cognitive impairment were each associated with lower GMV independently of age, sex, and total intracranial volume. SAF partially mediated the association between T2DM and GMV. Longitudinal studies may help confirm whether tissue AGE accumulation is associated with brain atrophy in T2DM.
authors: Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Moran
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Molecular Medicine Research Group, University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Gerald
authors: G
authors: Münch
authors: Translational Research Institute, Mater University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Mater Clinical School, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Josephine M
authors: JM
authors: Forbes
authors: Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Beare
authors: Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors: Leigh
authors: L
authors: Blizzard
authors: Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors: Alison J
authors: AJ
authors: Venn
authors: Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Thanh G
authors: TG
authors: Phan
authors: Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Neurosciences, Monash Medical Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia velandai.srikanth@monash.edu.
authors: Velandai
authors: V
authors: Srikanth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced