Volumes and Changes in Brain Volumes Results from the Women’s Health Initiative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies

OBJECTIVEdTo study how type 2 diabetes adversely affects brain volumes, changes in volume, and cognitive function. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSdRegional brain volumes and ischemic lesion volumes in 1,366 women, aged 72–89 years, were measured with structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Repeat scans were collected an average of 4.7 years later in 698 women. Cross-sectional differences and changes with time between women with and without diabetes were compared. Relationships that cognitive function test scores had with these mea-sures and diabetes were examined. RESULTSdThe 145 women with diabetes (10.6%) at the first MRI had smaller total brain volumes (0.6 % less; P = 0.05) and smaller gray matter volumes (1.5 % less; P = 0.01), but not white matter volumes, both overall and within major lobes. They also had larger ischemic lesion volumes (21.8 % greater; P = 0.02), both overall and in gray matter (27.5 % greater; P = 0.06), in white matter (18.8 % greater; P = 0.02), and across major lobes. Overall, women with diabetes had slightly (non-significant) greater loss of total brain volumes (3.02 cc; P = 0.11) and significant increases in total ischemic lesion volumes (9.7%more;P = 0.05) with time relative to thosewithout diabetes. Diabete