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Brain atrophy in type 2 diabetes: regional distribution and influence on cognition
Moran C, Phan TG, Chen J, Blizzard L, Beare R, Venn A, Münch G, Wood AG et al.. Diabetes care, 2013-08-12
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objective Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with brain atrophy and cerebrovascular disease. We aimed to define the regional distribution of brain atrophy in T2DM and to examine whether atrophy or cerebrovascular lesions are feasible links between T2DM and cognitive function. Research design and methods This cross-sectional study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and cognitive tests in 350 participants with T2DM and 363 participants without T2DM. With voxel-based morphometry, we studied the regional distribution of atrophy in T2DM. We measured cerebrovascular lesions (infarcts, microbleeds, and white matter hyperintensity [WMH] volume) and atrophy (gray matter, white matter, and hippocampal volumes) while blinded to T2DM status. With use of multivariable regression, we examined for mediation or effect modification of the association between T2DM and cognitive measures by MRI measures. Results T2DM was associated with more cerebral infarcts and lower total gray, white, and hippocampal volumes (all P Conclusions Cortical atrophy in T2DM resembles patterns seen in preclinical Alzheimer disease. Neurodegeneration rather than cerebrovascular lesions may play a key role in T2DM-related cognitive impairment.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Moran, C., Phan, T. G., Chen, J., Blizzard, L., Beare, R., Venn, A., et al. (2013). Brain atrophy in type 2 diabetes: regional distribution and influence on cognition. Diabetes care. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc13-0143
Vancouver
Moran C, Phan TG, Chen J, Blizzard L, Beare R, Venn A, et al. Brain atrophy in type 2 diabetes: regional distribution and influence on cognition. Diabetes care. 2013. doi:10.2337/dc13-0143. PMID: 23939539.
BibTeX
@article{moran2013-23939539,
author = {Moran, C. and Phan, T. G. and Chen, J. and Blizzard, L. and Beare, R. and Venn, A. and Münch, G. and Wood, A. G. and others},
title = {{Brain atrophy in type 2 diabetes: regional distribution and influence on cognition}},
journal = {Diabetes care},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.2337/dc13-0143},
pmid = {23939539},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2337/dc13-0143}
}
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Key findings
- Objective Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with brain atrophy and cerebrovascular disease.
- Results T2DM was associated with more cerebral infarcts and lower total gray, white, and hippocampal volumes (all P Conclusions Cortical atrophy in T2DM resembles patterns seen in preclinical Alzheimer disease.
Why it matters
In this cross-sectional study, type 2 diabetes was associated with more cerebral infarcts and lower total gray, white, and hippocampal volumes, with cortical atrophy resembling patterns seen in preclinical Alzheimer disease. The findings suggest neurodegeneration rather than cerebrovascular lesions may play a key role in diabetes-related cognitive impairment.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants350
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 66/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported 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 | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 350 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 | 1 / 2 | Blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 521 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.7 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 25.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 21 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 99 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Velandai K. Srikanth: h-index 72 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Birmingham: institution h-index 1,266 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23939539) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 66 / 100 | — |
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