Neuropsychological Consequences and Correlates of Diabetes in Childhood. In: Holmes CS, editor. Neuropsychological and Behavioral Aspects of Diabetes. New York: Springer; 1990. pp. 58-84. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4612-3290-2_4]

Diabetes and cognitive decline: Challenges and future direction

There is growing evidence that diabetes can induce cognitive decline and dementia. It is a slow, progressive cognitive decline that can occur in any age group, but is seen more frequently in older individuals. Symptoms related to cognitive decline are worsened by chronic metabolic syndrome. Animal models are frequently utilized to elucidate the mechanisms of cognitive decline in diabetes and to assess potential drugs for therapy and prevention. This review addresses the common factors and pathophysiology involved in diabetes-related cognitive decline and outlines the various animal models used to study this condition.

Nonverbal intelligence and scholastic performance in children with type 1 diabetes

This study examined nonverbal intelligence and scholastic achievement in children with type 1 diabetes. In a retrospective case–control study, 69 children (35 males) ages 5–10 years with type 1 diabetes and 69 healthy controls matched to patients by age, gender and socioeconomic status were compared according to their performance on Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices and their scholastic grades. No differences in nonverbal intelligence and grades were observed between children with type 1 diabetes and healthy control subjects. Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices scores inversely correlated with duration of illness both in children with early onset of type 1 diabetes and poor metabolic control. Possible explanations of the results and implications are discussed.

Psychoeducational characteristics of children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

In recent years, researchers have observed selective neuropsychological impairment associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in childhood. At increased risk are children who develop diabetes before the age of 5, who experience severe hypo- and hyperglycemia, or who have frequent episodes of mild to moderate hypoglycemia. This article explores the existing literature to establish frequency and consistency of general and specific neurocognitive deficits in this pediatric patient population, as well as the impact of these deficits on school achievement and learning disabilities. Studies are integrated to identify contributing diabetes and nondiabetes factors. This is followed by a reanalysis of the data from two studies of diabetic children to determine the learning disability characteristics of this population and the factors contributing to dysfunctional school performance. Findings are discussed in terms of the impact of different factors reflecting adequacy of diabetes control on specific psychoeducational abilities.