Diabetes, Cognitive Decline, and Alzheimer\u27s Disease: The Cache County Study on Memory, Health, and Aging

Studies have reported mixed results for people with or without diabetes with cognitive decline or Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Cognitive decline and AD among people with diabetes will be the focus of much discussion since results have been controversial. The study examined whether diabetes is associated with cognitive decline and whether it is an independent risk factor for the development of AD among elderly residents of Cache County, Utah. Results revealed an association between diabetes and a lower average Modified Mini Mental State Examination (3MS) score of nearly a point lower at baseline. Results also showed an association between diabetes and an increased risk of incident AD compared with non-diabetes for men but not for women. The interaction between diabetes, gender, and risk of AD should be explored further