Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review
Background In addition to peripheral neuropathy of various kinds, diabetes can also cause central neuropathy, which among other things can manifest itself as premature cognitive dysfunction, often linked to vascular dysfunction. Although the link between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction was discov...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2025.2455136 |
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| author | Åke Sjöholm Louise Bennet Peter M. Nilsson |
| author_facet | Åke Sjöholm Louise Bennet Peter M. Nilsson |
| author_sort | Åke Sjöholm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background In addition to peripheral neuropathy of various kinds, diabetes can also cause central neuropathy, which among other things can manifest itself as premature cognitive dysfunction, often linked to vascular dysfunction. Although the link between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction was discovered more than 100 years ago and has important clinical implications, this diabetes complication remains relatively unknown. Recent years have seen research that has clarified cerebral insulin resistance and defective insulin signaling as examples of pathogenic factors behind this cognitive impairment in diabetes.Method We provide a narrative review of select and contemporary publications with relevance for the interface between diabetes/prediabetes and cognitive function.Results Recently published studies show that physical activity can reverse insulin resistance in the brain as well as cognitive impairment and pathological appetite regulation. Pharmacological interventions with, for example, nasal insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT-2 inhibitors, or PPAR-γ agonists have also shown promising results.Conclusion Optimization of lifestyle factors (e.g. physical activity), as well as several pharmaceutical agents already in clinical use against diabetes, have shown promising results in improving cognitive function in diabetic patients. An important task for primary health care, where most patients with type 2 diabetes are diagnosed, treated, and followed, is to increase awareness and early detection of cognitive dysfunction in these patients for optimizing risk factor control. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cf1a5ead842d41e1beb52273c4cba7c4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0281-3432 1502-7724 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-cf1a5ead842d41e1beb52273c4cba7c42025-01-29T05:01:05ZengTaylor & Francis GroupScandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care0281-34321502-77242025-01-011710.1080/02813432.2025.2455136Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative reviewÅke Sjöholm0Louise Bennet1Peter M. Nilsson2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Gävle Hospital and University of Gävle, Gävle, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Clinical Studies Sweden, Forum South, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, SwedenBackground In addition to peripheral neuropathy of various kinds, diabetes can also cause central neuropathy, which among other things can manifest itself as premature cognitive dysfunction, often linked to vascular dysfunction. Although the link between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction was discovered more than 100 years ago and has important clinical implications, this diabetes complication remains relatively unknown. Recent years have seen research that has clarified cerebral insulin resistance and defective insulin signaling as examples of pathogenic factors behind this cognitive impairment in diabetes.Method We provide a narrative review of select and contemporary publications with relevance for the interface between diabetes/prediabetes and cognitive function.Results Recently published studies show that physical activity can reverse insulin resistance in the brain as well as cognitive impairment and pathological appetite regulation. Pharmacological interventions with, for example, nasal insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT-2 inhibitors, or PPAR-γ agonists have also shown promising results.Conclusion Optimization of lifestyle factors (e.g. physical activity), as well as several pharmaceutical agents already in clinical use against diabetes, have shown promising results in improving cognitive function in diabetic patients. An important task for primary health care, where most patients with type 2 diabetes are diagnosed, treated, and followed, is to increase awareness and early detection of cognitive dysfunction in these patients for optimizing risk factor control.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2025.2455136Antidiabetic drugscognitiondementiadiabetesepidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Åke Sjöholm Louise Bennet Peter M. Nilsson Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care Antidiabetic drugs cognition dementia diabetes epidemiology |
| title | Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review |
| title_full | Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review |
| title_fullStr | Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review |
| title_short | Cognitive dysfunction in diabetes – the ‘forgotten’ diabetes complication: a narrative review |
| title_sort | cognitive dysfunction in diabetes the forgotten diabetes complication a narrative review |
| topic | Antidiabetic drugs cognition dementia diabetes epidemiology |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2025.2455136 |
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