title: Higher fasting plasma glucose is associated with striatal and hippocampal shape differences: the 2sweet project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have demonstrated associations between higher normal fasting plasma glucose levels (NFG) (<6.1 mmol/L), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hippocampal atrophy and other cerebral abnormalities. Little is known about the association between plasma glucose and the striatum despite sensorimotor deficits being implicated in T2D. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma glucose levels and striatal and hippocampal morphology using vertex-based shape analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  287 cognitively healthy individuals (mean age 63 years, 132 female, 273 Caucasian) with (n=261) or without T2D (n=26), selected from 2551 participants taking part in the Personality & Total Health (PATH) Through Life study by availability of glucose data, MRI scan, and absence of gross brain abnormalities and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting plasma glucose was measured at first assessment, and MRI images were collected 8 years later. Shape differences indicating outward and inward deformation at the hippocampus and the striatum were examined with FMRIB Software Library-Integrated Registration and Segmentation Toolbox (FSL-FIRST) after controlling for sociodemographic and health variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher plasma glucose was associated with shape differences indicating inward deformation, particularly at the caudate and putamen, among participants with NFG after controlling for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, smoking and depressive symptoms. Those with T2D showed shape differences indicating inward deformation at the right hippocampus and bilateral striatum, but outward deformation at the left hippocampus, compared with participants with NFG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings further emphasize the importance of early monitoring and management of plasma glucose levels, even within the normal range, as a risk factor for cerebral atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia.
authors.forename: Tianqi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia.
authors.forename: Marnie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humphries
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia.
authors.forename: Perminder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sachdev
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia.
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cherbuin
keywords: Brain; Fasting Blood Glucose; MRI