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. 2014 Feb;37(2):332-40.
doi: 10.2337/dc13-1388. Epub 2013 Dec 6.

Alterations in white matter structure in young children with type 1 diabetes

Naama Barnea-Goraly  1 , Mira Raman, Paul Mazaika, Matthew Marzelli, Tamara Hershey, Stuart A Weinzimer, Tandy Aye, Bruce Buckingham, Nelly Mauras, Neil H White, Larry A Fox, Michael Tansey, Roy W Beck, Katrina J Ruedy, Craig Kollman, Peiyao Cheng, Allan L Reiss; Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet)
Affiliations

Alterations in white matter structure in young children with type 1 diabetes

Naama Barnea-Goraly et al. Diabetes Care. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether type 1 diabetes affects white matter (WM) structure in a large sample of young children.

Research design and methods: Children (ages 4 to <10 years) with type 1 diabetes (n = 127) and age-matched nondiabetic control subjects (n = 67) had diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans in this multisite neuroimaging study. Participants with type 1 diabetes were assessed for HbA1c history and lifetime adverse events, and glucose levels were monitored using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) device and standardized measures of cognition.

Results: Between-group analysis showed that children with type 1 diabetes had significantly reduced axial diffusivity (AD) in widespread brain regions compared with control subjects. Within the type 1 diabetes group, earlier onset of diabetes was associated with increased radial diffusivity (RD) and longer duration was associated with reduced AD, reduced RD, and increased fractional anisotropy (FA). In addition, HbA1c values were significantly negatively associated with FA values and were positively associated with RD values in widespread brain regions. Significant associations of AD, RD, and FA were found for CGM measures of hyperglycemia and glucose variability but not for hypoglycemia. Finally, we observed a significant association between WM structure and cognitive ability in children with type 1 diabetes but not in control subjects.

Conclusions: These results suggest vulnerability of the developing brain in young children to effects of type 1 diabetes associated with chronic hyperglycemia and glucose variability.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
WM regions of significantly reduced AD values in the type 1 diabetes group compared with the control group (shown in yellow). Results are overlaid on an average FA image generated from the full sample.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A post hoc graphic representation of the association between FA (A) and RD (B) values with gluSD (FA: R = −0.41, P < 0.001; RD: R = 0.39, P < 0.001). (A high-quality color representation of this figure is available in the online issue.)
Figure 3
Figure 3
A post hoc graphic representation of the association between FA values and FSIQ scores in type 1 diabetes (R = 0.4, P < 0.001). Mean FA values were extracted from regions of significant correlations between FA and FSIQ in the type 1 diabetes group. (A high-quality color representation of this figure is available in the online issue.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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