Short-term longitudinal trends in cognitive performance in older adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive deficits, although inconsistently across neuropsychological domains. We examined 3-year longitudinal data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study, comparing diabetes (n = 28) and control (n = 272) older adults on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Assessing potential change and stability, we found that (a) baseline diabetes group deficits in semantic speed and speed-intensive executive function were preserved, (b) new average deficits for reaction time and nonspeeded executive function appeared, and (c) no differential short-term change was observed. It is clinically and theoretically important to examine sequential change in multiple domains over time.