Psychiatry Research EG

Cognitive dysfunction and dementia are becoming increasingly prevalent, and the estimated prevalence of dementia is approximately 0.5% at the age of 65 years and 4% at the age of 75 years; it increases to 23% at the age of 85 years [1]. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of senile dementia and at one time, all forms of AD were lumped into one category. Yet, more recent research has indicated the possibility of subtypes of the disease, manifesting at different points in an individual’s lifetime, that is early-onset and late-onset AD [2]. However, diabetes mellitus (DM) is approaching epidemic proportions as approximately 13% of adults older than 70 years have DM and 11% of adults between the age of 60 and 74 years remain undiagnosed. Elderly diabetic patients are at a higher risk of premature death, and development of functional disability and chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents, and coronary artery disease [3]. The relationship between DM and AD is an important topic as it touches upon each of these issues. Diabetes has long been recognized as an important risk for stroke and stroke-related dementias. In addition, DM and other ‘vascular’ risk factors may also contribute toward the development of AD [4]. The precise role of insulin in the pathophysiology of AD is as yet undetermined. The preclinical data suggest several possible interactive mechanisms through which defective insulin modulation might contribute toward the pathophysiology and symptomology of AD [5]. Therefore, the aim of this work is to assess the clinical differences between AD patients with DM and those without DM and to determine whether patients with both AD and DM have more severe dementia and earlier onset or not.