Dementia in patients with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The role of diabetes mellitus in neurodegeneration has been confirmed by neuroimaging and neuropathological studies. Apart from causing schizophrenia, chronic exposure to hyperglycemia may worsen cognitive function and cause significant cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. An 81-year-old woman was consulted to the Psychiatry department with fatigue and forgetfulness. She was found unconscious in her room. In the emergency room, her blood glucose level was 30 mg/dl with type 2 diabetes since 2012. She was able to pronounce her name correctly but forgot her age, said that she was in her home, the examinations were in the morning, and the name of her ex-employee who accompanied her and said that she already had breakfast, could repeat the names of 3 objects given. She  was asked to repeat in 1 minute  can only say 1 name of the object correctly, cannot count the subtraction several times. The patient correctly pronounced the name of the object shown to her, but cannot fold paper, write sentences, or draw. Psychiatrist give her Avram 1x5 mg and Aricept 1x5 mg also provided assistance, family education, and reminiscence therapy, and she had 8 units of Novorapid injection subcutaneously after a meal from the geriatrist.