Diabetes, dysglycemia and cognitive dysfunction

Evidence from the last decade supports the hypothesis that diabetes may be viewed as a disease of accelerated cognitive ageing. It is a risk factor for the development of dementia, for an accelerated rate of cognitive decline and for cognitive dysfunction. Thus, 'diabetes-related cognitive dysfunction' may be viewed as another long-term complication of diabetes. This article will review the evidence supporting this hypothesis and will elaborate on the implications for patient care, as well as discuss potential treatment options and their limitation. The final section reviews possible mechanistic explanations.