Insulin resistance and cognitive impairment in type II diabetes mellitus

Background: Type II Diabetes mellitus [DM] is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose because of the insulin resistance. Significant 1 more interest has been dedicated to the effect of type II diabetes on the brain. Along with cerebrovascular disease, type II diabetes is implicated in the development of other neurological co-morbidities

Aim of the work: To study cognitive functions in type II DM and the effect of insulin resistance on it

Subjects and methods: In the present study, cognitive function tests were done for 37 subjects; control [n= 17], type II DM [n= 20]. These tests include mini mental state examination [MMSE], Wechsler adult intelligence scale [WAIS], Wechsler memory scale [WMS] and Cognitive Event related potential [P300]. Circulating levels of glycosylated haemoglobin [HbA[1c]] and insulin were determined in venous blood samples of both groups

Results: MMSE was significantly lower in type II DM than control group [p-value = 0.034]. However no significant difference between type II DM and control group in WAIS and WMS except in visual reproduction [p-value = 0.048]. P300 latency was significantly longer in type II DM than controls [p- value 0.0001]. P300 amplitude was decreased significantly in type II DM than controls [p-value= 0.0001]. HbA[1c] and insulin was significantly higher in type II DM than controls [p-value= 0.0001]

Conclusion: type II DM is associated with cognitive impairment which may be due to insulin resistance

Cortical excitability in amyotrophic; lateral sclerosis

The primary purpose of this study was to provide insight into the central changes that occur in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with a view to pointing out that these could contribute to symptoms, Seventeen patients with definite ALS and 17 control healthy volunteers were included in the study. Clinical examination, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis severity score [ALSSS] and transonic magnetic stimuli investigations including measurement of resting and active motor threshold [RMT, and AMT], motor evoked potential [MEP], input-output curve, contralateral silent period and transcallosal inhibition [CSP and TI] were measured for each participant. There were no significant differences in RMT or AMT in either hemisphere between patients and the control group. Despite this there was a significant negative correlation between ALSSS and RMT, and AMT meaning that increased seventy was associated with higher thresholds. MEPs were significantly smaller in ALS patients in comparison to the control group [P=0.03]. There was a significant decrease in the slope of the I/O relationship of MEP amplitude to TMS intensity in patients group in comparison to controls. ALS patients had a significant prolongation of CSP and TI for both hemispheres. There was a tendency for there to be a significant negative correlation between left TI and ALSSS [P= 0.051]. Measurements of cortical motor excitatory and inhibitory changes in ALS confirm the presence of hypoexcitability and GABAb dysfunction, that was correlated with the severity of ALS

Neural maturation of breast and formula fed infants

Human milk provides infants with a full complement of all polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and arachidonic acid [AA]. Formula milks contain only the precursors of DHA and AA, and linoleic acid and hence formula fed infants must synthesize their own DHA and AA. This work aimed at evaluating the hypothesis that the method of feeding; whether breast feeding or formula feeding in early infancy affects subsequent neurodevelopment and achievement of optimum brain function [Visual system, auditory and Sensory system]. The present study includes 53 infants [at the age of one year +/- I month], 30 infants were exclusively breast fed and 23 infants were exclusively formula fed. Each infant was subjected to a full neurological examination and neurophysiological studies including, flash Visual Evoked Potentials [FVEPs], Auditory Brainstem Evoked Potentials [ABEPs], and Somatosensory Evoked Potentials [SSEPs]. There was significant prolongation in the P100 wave latency of FVEP in formula fed infants [96.4 +/- 9.0] compared with breast-fed infants [90.2 +/- 8.5]. There was a significant prolongation of absolute latency of wave I with subsequent prolongation of wave Ill and wave V in formula-fed infants group compared with breast fed infants group. Meanwhile, there was no significant differences between the two groups as regards to interpeak latencies. There was significant prolongation in interpeak latencies between cortical and Erb's components in formula fed infants compared with breast fed infants. There was no significant correlation between sex, consanguinity, sibbling number, order of birth, parental educational level, age of supplementation of foods, social level, head circumference, anterior fontanel and different variables of evoked potentials. VEP, BAEP and SSEP are more mature in breast fed infants relative to formula fed infants at one year of age. Consequently we can speculate that breast milk helps earlier development and maturation of some aspects of the nervous system than milk formulas