The possible influence of diabetes on the higher mnestic and cognitive functions has been investigated. The P300 wave latency, an endogenous electrophysiological event, was explored and compared with the multimodal short-latency evoked potential (EP) recordings (visual [VEP], brainstem auditory [BAEP], and median and tibial nerve somatosensory EPs [mSEP and tSEP, respectively]) and psychometric test measures in 16 insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients, in 16 age- and (IDDM) sex-matched nondiabetic subjects, and in a large normal reference population. The age of subjects, the duration of IDDM, and the metabolic control of patients were taken into account. P300 values were significantly increased in IDDM versus matched control subjects (P < 0.001), and 3 patients showed values above the reference value range. Abnormal VEP recordings were present in 1 of 16 patients, BAEP in 3 of 16, mSEP in 7 of 16, and tSEP in 6 of 16. Digit-span backward test results were significantly (P < 0.02) modified in the diabetic cohort. There was no tendency for anomalies of P300, short-latency EPs, and psychometric test values to be contemporarily present, except in 1 patient. Electrophysiological or psychometric abnormalities were not clearly correlated with the duration of IDDM or the degree of short-term metabolic control. These findings give evidence that 1) higher cognitive functions may be affected in diabetes as documented by P300 analysis and short-term memory tests, 2) endogenous electrophysiological analysis highlights neuropsychological changes not detectable by psychometric tests, 3) an alteration of evoked potentials was present in half of the IDDM subjects studied, and 4) anomalies of the CNS are patchily distributed in diabetes.
Original Articles|
August 01 1991
Abnormalities of Cognitive Functions in IDDM Revealed by P300 Event-Related Potential Analysis: Comparison With Short-Latency Evoked Potentials and Psychometric Tests
Giuseppe Pozzessere;
Giuseppe Pozzessere
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Elvira Valle;
Elvira Valle
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Silva de Crignis;
Silva de Crignis
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Virginia M Cordischi;
Virginia M Cordischi
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Francesco Fattapposta;
Francesco Fattapposta
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Paolo A Rizzo;
Paolo A Rizzo
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Patrizia Pietravalle;
Patrizia Pietravalle
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Giuseppe Cristina;
Giuseppe Cristina
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Susanna Morano;
Susanna Morano
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Umberto Di Mario
Umberto Di Mario
Institute of Clinical Nervous and Mental Disorders, Institute of Clinical Medicine 2 (Endocrinology), University “La Sapienza,”
Rome, Italy
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. G. Pozzessere, Via Suvereto 250, 1–00139 Rome, Italy.
Diabetes 1991;40(8):952–958
Article history
Received:
January 30 1991
Revision Received:
February 27 1991
Accepted:
February 27 1991
PubMed:
1860560
Citation
Giuseppe Pozzessere, Elvira Valle, Silva de Crignis, Virginia M Cordischi, Francesco Fattapposta, Paolo A Rizzo, Patrizia Pietravalle, Giuseppe Cristina, Susanna Morano, Umberto Di Mario; Abnormalities of Cognitive Functions in IDDM Revealed by P300 Event-Related Potential Analysis: Comparison With Short-Latency Evoked Potentials and Psychometric Tests. Diabetes 1 August 1991; 40 (8): 952–958. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.40.8.952
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