COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION WITH PERSISTENT IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE

OBJECTIVE- To study cognitive function in an elderly population with p ersistent impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD S- Fasting and postload 2-h plasma glucose and insulin levels were det ermined at baseline in a population-based sample of 1,300 people and r epeated an average of 3.5 years later in 980 subjects. At follow-up, c ognitive function was evaluated in subjects with persistent normal glu cose tolerance (NGT; n = 506) and IGT (n = 80) with a brief neuropsych ological test battery. RESULTS- Subjects with persistent IGT scored lo wer in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and in the Buschke Sel ective Reminding Test long-term memory scores. Multiple linear regress ion analysis revealed that age, education, and insulin levels (either fasting or 2-h value) were associated with the MMSE score in subjects with persistent IGT. Other potential risk factors for impaired cogniti ve function were not significantly associated with the MMSE score. CON CLUSIONS- Our study shelved that persistent IGT in the elderly is asso ciated with mildly impaired cognitive function, and hyperinsulinemia m ay account for this association.