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Aberrant brain functional connectivity related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state fMRI study
Chen YC, Jiao Y, Cui Y, Shang SA, Ding J, Feng Y, Song W, Ju SH et al.. Diabetes care, 2014-03-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objective Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, which is involved in the development of Alzheimer disease. This study aims to investigate the relationship between abnormal resting-state brain functional connectivity and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. Research design and methods A total of 30 patients with type 2 diabetes and 31 healthy well-matched volunteers were prospectively examined. Resting-state brain functional connectivity analysis was used to examine the correlation between the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and whole-brain regions. The possible relationships between functional connectivity measures and insulin resistance were evaluated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Results Compared with healthy controls, we observed significantly decreased functional connectivity of the PCC within some selected regions, including the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left lingual gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and left precentral gyrus; increased functional connectivity of the PCC was detected in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, right superior frontal gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus. A significant negative correlation was found between the PCC-right MTG connectivity and HOMA-IR in type 2 diabetic patients (P = 0.014; r = -0.446). Conclusions Type 2 diabetic patients develop aberrant functional connectivity of the PCC, which is associated with insulin resistance in selected brain regions. Resting-state connectivity disturbance of PCC-MTG may be a central role for evaluating the cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.
Key findings
- Results Compared with healthy controls, we observed significantly decreased functional connectivity of the PCC within some selected regions, including the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left lingual gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and left precentral gyrus; increased functional connectivity of the PCC was detected in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, right superior frontal gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus.
- A significant negative correlation was found between the PCC-right MTG connectivity and HOMA-IR in type 2 diabetic patients (P = 0.014; r = -0.446).
- Conclusions Type 2 diabetic patients develop aberrant functional connectivity of the PCC, which is associated with insulin resistance in selected brain regions.
Why it matters
In 30 people with type 2 diabetes, functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and other brain regions was altered, and one measure correlated with insulin resistance. This links insulin resistance to brain connectivity changes that may relate to Alzheimer's, but it is a small study and does not show that treating insulin resistance prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Participants30
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Diabetes care) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Diabetes Care: journal h-index 509 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 30 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 130 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.3 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Gao‐Jun Teng: h-index 35 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Southeast University: institution h-index 622 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24658392) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Chen, Y. C., Jiao, Y., Cui, Y., Shang, S. A., Ding, J., Feng, Y., et al. (2014). Aberrant brain functional connectivity related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state fMRI study. Diabetes care. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc13-2127
Vancouver
Chen YC, Jiao Y, Cui Y, Shang SA, Ding J, Feng Y, et al. Aberrant brain functional connectivity related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state fMRI study. Diabetes care. 2014. doi:10.2337/dc13-2127. PMID: 24658392.
BibTeX
@article{chen2014-24658392,
author = {Chen, Y. C. and Jiao, Y. and Cui, Y. and Shang, S. A. and Ding, J. and Feng, Y. and Song, W. and Ju, S. H. and others},
title = {{Aberrant brain functional connectivity related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state fMRI study}},
journal = {Diabetes care},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.2337/dc13-2127},
pmid = {24658392},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2337/dc13-2127}
}
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