Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2012) 29 OC3.6

ICEECE2012 Oral Communications Diabetes Clinical (6 abstracts)

Glucose disorders exert a detrimental effect on total brain volume in the elderly: a 2-year prospective MRI study

K. Samaras 1, , H. Lutgers 1 , W. Wen 3, , L. Campbell 1, , B. Baune 5 , H. Brodaty 3 , J. Trollor 3 & P. Sachdev 3,


1Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2St. Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 4Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 5University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.


Introduction: Long-standing type 2 diabetes (DM) is associated with brain atrophy. In this prospective study we examined the impact of glycaemic status on total brain volume in an elderly cohort.

Methods/Design: Two-year follow-up study of a population-derived cohort of non-demented community-dwelling adults aged 70–90 years (Sydney Memory and Aging Study). Prospective MRI and metabolic data were available in 312 of the 542 participants who had a MRI at baseline. At follow-up, participants were categorized in 4 groups: stable normoglycemia (NG at both time points, n=102), stable IFG (IFG at both time points, n=120), progression of glucose status (from NG to IFG/DM or from IFG to DM at follow-up, n=57), and, diagnosed DM at baseline (n=33). Total brain volume (TBV) was defined as the sum of grey and white matter (cm3).

Results: n=312, mean age 78 (±4.4) years; 54% Male, 41% had IFG and 13% had diagnosed DM at baseline. Compared to delta TBV in stable NG (−18.4 cm3), the decrease in TBV was 1.4-fold greater in stable IFG (−26.6 cm3, P=0.2), 2.3-fold greater compared to subjects with progression of glucose status (−41.7 cm3, P<0.05) and 2.3-fold greater in subjects with DM at baseline (−42.3 cm3, P<0.05). In a model that examined predictors of the decrease in TBV, glucose status at 2 years significantly predicted a decline, after adjusting for covariates (age, sex, TBV at baseline, history of hypertension, history of hyperlipidemia, use of lipid-lowering drugs), β=−9.8, P<0.01. Whilst 75% of the total variance in TBV at follow-up was explained by baseline TBV, 16% of the residual variance was explained by glucose status at follow-up.

Conclusion: This study in community-dwelling elderly people found that diagnosed DM as well as transition in glucose status to IFG or DM has an early and detrimental effect on brain volume assessed by MRI.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details are unavailable.

Volume 29

15th International & 14th European Congress of Endocrinology

European Society of Endocrinology 

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