Correlation between white matter microstructure changes and cognitive function in type 2 diabetes assessed using diffusion tensor imaging

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for mild cognitive dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease, but the related neural mechanisms are still unknown. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can quantitatively evaluate the microstructure changes of the white matter of the brain. Although some studies have reported findings for white matter changes related to T2DM, the results were inconsistent. This review summarized 28 T2DM-related DTI studies from home and abroad. We found that the studies reported a wide range of white matter microstructure abnormalities in T2DM patients, and that changes in white matter structure in different regions in T2DM patients are related to specific cognitive functions. DTI is of great value in exploring the relationship between T2DM and white matter microstructure changes and cognitive dysfunction, which might provide imaging evidence in revealing the neural mechanisms underlying T2DM-related cognitive dysfunction.