Carbohydrates Can Induce Memory
Impairment in Type 2 Diabetes
The degree of glycemic control is related
to cognitive performance in adults with type 2
diabetes.
Because memory impairment is observed in adults
with type 2 diabetes. The focus of this study
was to determine whether acute carbohydrate consumption
contributes to or exacerbates memory dysfunction.
The impact of consuming 50 g of rapidly absorbed
carbohydrate (one half bagel and white grape juice)
at breakfast was examined in 19 adults with type
2 diabetes. Subjects (mean age 63 ± 9 years,
mean BMI 26.1 ± 4.5 kg/m2) were tested,
under fed and fasted conditions, on verbal declarative
memory using both word list and paragraph recall
tests (immediate and delayed [7-min] recall),
Trails Test Part B as a measure of general brain
function, and mood (subjectively monitoring global
vigor and affect).
The results showed that under baseline (fasting)
conditions, elevated blood HbA1c was negatively
associated with immediate and delayed paragraph
recall performance (R2 = 0.30; P = 0.024) and
higher fasting blood glucose trended toward poorer
word list recall (R2 = 0.09; P = 0.102). Carbohydrate
ingestion influenced measures of delayed, but
not immediate, recall in a time-dependent fashion
(time x food) (word list, P = 0.046; paragraph,
P = 0.044) such that delayed recall was improved
at 15 min postingestion but was impaired at 30
min. Neither Trails Test scores (P = 0.17) nor
mood (affect, P = 0.68 and vigor, P = 0.45) were
influenced by food ingestion.
In summary, results from this study demonstrate
that the degree of glycemic control is related
to cognitive performance in adults with type 2
diabetes. Additionally, consumption of rapidly
absorbed carbohydrate foods, providing as little
as 50 g of available carbohydrate, can produce
memory deficits. Whereas postprandial hyperglycemia
and/or hyperinsulinemia may be associated with
these deficits, further research is required to
uncover the metabolic events leading to cognitive
impairment.
Diabetes Care, July 2003
================================
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