BACKGROUND:Gray matter (GM) structural alterations and its correlation with cognitive decline in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) remain unclear.
METHODS:We investigated GM structural alterations associated with cognitive decline in T1DM, utilizing a Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM) method to analyze structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from T1DM patients and mice. In clinical study, we recruited 73 adults, including 31 with T1DM, and 42 healthy controls (HCs). The GM volumes of different brain regions were quantified by utilizing VBM method. Correlation and mediation analysis were conducted to explore relationships between aberrant MRI indices and clinical variables and neuropsychological scores. In animal experiment, we conducted Morris water maze test and cranial MRI examinations on normal control mice (NC, n = 12) and T1DM mice (T1DM, n = 24) to detect GM structural alterations in T1DM mice with cognitive decline.
FINDINGS:In clinical research, compared to HCs, T1DM patients exhibited a significant decrease in GM volume of the right cerebellar Crus I. The GM volumes of cerebellar lobules were closely related to cognitive scores and serum lipid levels in T1DM patients. In animal experiments, compared to the NC group, the T1DM mice exhibited the GM atrophy of 23 brain regions, including cerebellum, prefrontal cortex.
INTERPRETATION:The GM volumes of cerebellar lobules were associated with cognitive scores in T1DM patients, suggesting that GM structural alterations in these lobules may be involved in the neuropathological mechanisms of brain damage in T1DM. And the GM atrophy in T1DM mice confirmed those changes in T1DM patients and provided valuable information for identifying potential vulnerable brain areas associated with cognitive decline in T1DM.