LAUSR

To investigate the effects of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) on performance on attention and executive function measures in a sample of MCI patients. Individuals with a clinician diagnosis of MCI with T2D and [n = 719,Mage = 75.24,50.3% female] and MCI persons without T2D [n = 719,Mage = 75.21,47.1% female] were selected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers database by the National Institute on Aging. Those with motor disturbances were excluded from the analysis. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were found for race and education between groups. Multiple ANCOVAs controlled for gender, education, age, and race on performance. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were found in performance on the Trail Making Test [A, B], Digit Span forward [longest recall, correct trials], Digit Span backward [longest recall, correct trials], and Verbal Fluency tasks [F word, L words]. No significant differences were found in the animal and vegetable naming fluency tasks. The T2D group showed poorer mean scores on every test analyzed. Results indicated modestly lower performance on measures of attention and executive functioning in MCI patients with comorbid T2D. Previous research supports these conclusions, as T2D has been associated with increased risk for dementia, accelerated decline from MCI to dementia, and modestly lower scores on cognitive tests via effects of microvascular function and altered glucose metabolism. Future studies should aim to identify protective factors in T2D cognitive decrements while controlling for exercise, diet, SES, and underlying medical comorbidities. The NACC database is funded by NIA/NIH Grant U01 AG016976. NACC data are contributed by the NIA-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers.