Carbohydrate-Induced Memory Impairment Observed in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

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Carbohydrate-Induced Memory Impairment Observed in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 09 - Carbohydrate consumption is associated

with memory impairment in adults with type 2 diabetes, according to findings

reported in the July issue of Diabetes Care.

" Memory impairment is observed in adults with type 2 diabetes, " Dr. Carol E.

Greenwood, of the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues

note. The team examined whether carbohydrate consumption affects cognitive

performance in 19 diabetic patients. The subjects were tested under fasting

(baseline) conditions and after consuming 50 g of rapidly absorbed

carbohydrate (half of a bagel with white grape juice) at breakfast.

Verbal declarative memory was tested using word list and paragraph recall

tests. In addition, Trails Test Part B was used to measure general brain

function.

At baseline, the investigators observed a negative association between

elevated HbA1c and immediate and delayed paragraph recall performance (p =

0.024). There was a weak association between higher fasting blood glucose

and poorer word list recall (p = 0.102).

Carbohydrate consumption affected delayed but not immediate recall in a

time-dependent manner. That is, " No impact of carbohydrate consumption was

observed when testing was commenced at 15 min after consumption, " Dr.

Greenwood and colleagues report. " By contrast, impaired performance after

carbohydrate consumption was observed in individuals who started the

paragraph recall testing at 22 min after consumption (p = 0.096). "

Carbohydrate ingestion did not influence Trails Test scores or mood,

according to the authors.

They conclude, " Acute ingestion of high glycemic index carbohydrate foods

further contributes to the underlying memory impairment " in patients with

type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Care 2003;26:1961-1966.