Brain alterations in regions associated with end-organ diabetic microvascular disease in diabetes mellitus: A UK Biobank study.

This analysis suggests that anatomic differences in brain regions are present in a cohort with adequately controlled glycaemia without prevalent microvascular disease when compared with volunteers without diabetes. We hypothesise that these differences may predate overt end-organ damage and complications such as diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy. Central nervous system alterations/neuroplasticity may occur early in the natural history of microvascular complications; therefore, brain imaging should be considered in future mechanistic and interventional studies of DM.