Home › Research › Risk factors
Cognitive Dysfunction and Dementia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights into Mechanisms, Models, and Therapeutics
Junhong Zeng, Keer Hu, Zitian Wang, Yi-chun Huang, Yu Zhang, Haiying Peng, Shaohua Ma. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, 2025-07-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Diabetic-related cognitive dysfunction, especially mild cognitive impairment (MCI), is a serious complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It severely impacts personal health and places a substantial burden on the healthcare system, characterized by deficits in cognitive function and delayed executive abilities, and accelerates dementia progression. Accurate prediction and diagnosis of MCI in T2DM patients are critical for the effective prevention and treatment of dementia. However, this task is challenging due to the diverse subtypes of MCI (amnestic and nonamnestic) and the complex underlying mechanisms. This review highlights the critical gaps in current knowledge, focusing on the unique interaction between metabolic dysregulation and neurodegenerative processes in T2DM. Emerging technologies, such as brain and vascular organoid models, have opened new avenues for unraveling these complexities, although significant challenges remain in translating these tools into clinical practice. Furthermore, we explore the neuroprotective effects of antidiabetic treatments, including sulfonylureas, biguanides, insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors, emphasizing their potential role in addressing the distinct mechanisms underlying different MCI subtypes. This review aims to pave the way for approaches to mitigate the burden of diabetic-related cognitive dysfunction and slow dementia progression.
Key findings
- Emerging technologies, such as brain and vascular organoid models, have opened new avenues for unraveling these complexities, although significant challenges remain in translating these tools into clinical practice.
Why it matters
This review discusses mechanisms, models, and potential treatments for cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes, including antidiabetic drugs such as sulfonylureas, biguanides, insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors. It highlights gaps in knowledge and challenges in translating organoid models to clinical practice, so it does not establish that any treatment prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Risk factors, ranked →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 39/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science: journal h-index 64 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 14 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Shaohua Ma: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tsinghua University: institution h-index 1,218 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40810170) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zeng, J., Hu, K., Wang, Z., Huang, Y.-c., Zhang, Y., Peng, H., et al. (2025). Cognitive Dysfunction and Dementia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights into Mechanisms, Models, and Therapeutics. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00086
Vancouver
Zeng J, Hu K, Wang Z, Huang Y.-c, Zhang Y, Peng H, et al. Cognitive Dysfunction and Dementia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights into Mechanisms, Models, and Therapeutics. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. 2025. doi:10.1021/acsptsci.5c00086. PMID: 40810170.
BibTeX
@article{zeng2025-40810170,
author = {Zeng, Junhong and Hu, Keer and Wang, Zitian and Huang, Yi-chun and Zhang, Yu and Peng, Haiying and Ma, Shaohua},
title = {{Cognitive Dysfunction and Dementia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights into Mechanisms, Models, and Therapeutics}},
journal = {ACS Pharmacology \& Translational Science},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1021/acsptsci.5c00086},
pmid = {40810170},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00086}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 29.