Diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in the UK's working-age population, could be associated with poorer memory and diminished brain power in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
The research announced recently at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference was conducted as part of the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study.
The study looked at 1,066 people with Type 2 diabetes aged between 60 and 75 years old. Participants completed seven tests looking at memory, logic and concentration to establish their level of brain function. Those with retinopathy had worse average scores on most of the individual tests as well as on general cognitive ability compared to those without the condition. The results were independent of age and gender.
The study found that participants with moderate to severe retinopathy performed worse in the non-verbal memory, mental flexibility and processing speed tests compared to those with mild or no retinopathy. It also suggested that the male participants with moderate to severe retinopathy may be more prone to cognitive decline in old age.
Mrs Jie Ding from the University of Edinburgh, who helped lead the research, said, 'The results provide insights into the specific underlying mechanism of cognitive dysfunction in Type 2 diabetes....From a clinical perspective, cognitive impairment in Type 2 diabetes may therefore be amenable to treatment and preventive strategies targeted at this small vessel disease.'