ERPS REVEAL DEFICITS IN AUTOMATIC CEREBRAL STIMULUS-PROCESSING IN PATIENTS WITH NIDDM

WE compared auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) and neuropsycholo gical test scores in nine patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in nine control subjects. The measures of automa tic stimulus processing, habituation of auditory N100 and mismatch neg ativity (MMN) were impaired in patients. No differences were observed in the N2b and P3 components, which presumably reflect conscious cogni tive analysis of the stimuli. A trend towards impaired performance in the Digit Span backward was found in diabetic subjects, but in the tes ts of secondary or long-term memory the groups were comparable. Patien ts with NIDDM may have defects in arousal and in the automatic ability to redirect attention, which can affect their cognitive performance.