Implementation of Imaging Methods in Evaluation of T2DM-Correlated Brain Alterations and Cognitive Dysfunction

INTRODUCTION: There has been mounting evidence that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) populations are prone to aberrant brain functionality and cognitive deficits. Hyperglycemic status and insulin resistance, among other factors, have been associated with compromised brain neural congruity, leading to lower cognitive performance. AIM: The aim of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive review of imaging techniques and their applicability in detection of brain changes in the setting of T2DM. METHODS: A search of PubMed electronic database was followed. Primary search terms included “imaging methods”, “type 2 diabetes” and “cognitive impairment”. RESULTS: A range of imaging modalities that can be of value in depiction of diabetes-mediated structural and functional brain aberrations. CONCLUSION: An increasingly body of research points to the adverse effect T2DM exerts on brain integrity and higher cognitive skills. Findings support the role of imaging techniques in delineation of brain divergence in middle-aged and older diabetic populations.