Diabetes Associated Cognitive Decline, is there a Role for Exercise?

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) can have a significant impact on brain structure and function. This so-called ‘diabetesassociated cognitive decline’ (DACD) can be attributed to diverse biochemical and neurochemical pathways which are caused by hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemia, but also by c-peptide and insulin deficiency. Besides the positive effects of exercise on the acute and chronic glycaemic control in T1D patients, a growing number of studies also documented the beneficial influence of exercise on aspects of cognition and performance. Therefore, the purpose of the present narrative review is to discuss the associative aspects between a DACD and its’ proposed mechanisms and the potential beneficial effect of exercise on a DACD.

Publication year:2013