Abstract

This study was contemplated to ascertain the occurrence of cognitive impairment and explore the relationship between cognition and diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) in post-menopausal women. The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the community setting in and around Anaicut Panchayat, Vellore, over 6 months (July 2023 to Dec 2023). Post-menopausal women with T2DM in the age group of above 35 years were included. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale was utilized to evaluate the cognitive function. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was also measured. The acquired data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23. The inclusion criteria were met by 188 subjects. The diabetic women who were involved in the study have an average age of 57 years. The current study population evinced a mean MoCA score of 20.91 ± 3.99 and a mean HbA1c level of 9.27 ± 2.45 suggesting a strong link between cognitive dysfunction and hyperglycemia. 67% of the study subjects exhibited mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A noticeable inverse relationship was found between MoCA score and duration of T2DM (r = −0.744) as well as between MoCA score and HbA1c (r = −0.769). This study suggested that the duration of T2DM and the level of HbA1c have an antithetical influence on cognitive function. Due to the higher prevalence exists for MCI in diabetic patients, it is recommended that healthcare professionals should assess cognitive function in diabetic patients in their routine clinical practice to prevent the progression of dementia.

Key words: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Post-menopause, Glycated hemoglobin, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, Cognitive impairment